Stroke News & Brain Health - American Heart Association

La colaboración mundial en torno a la enfermedad de Kawasaki es clave para reducir el riesgo de afecciones cardíacas graves

Mon, 18 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Para su publicación inmediata a las 4:00 a. m., CT/5:00 a. m., ET del lunes 18 de mayo del 2026

DALLAS, 18 de mayo del 2026 — La colaboración internacional en materia de investigación, diagnóstico y atención es fundamental para reducir el riesgo de afecciones cardíacas graves en los niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) en todo el mundo, según un nuevo aviso científico publicado hoy en la Journal of the American Heart Association, una revista médica de acceso libre y revisada por expertos de la American Heart Association (Asociación Americana del Corazón).

“La enfermedad de Kawasaki es altamente tratable, pero demasiados niños en todo el mundo se enfrentan a un diagnóstico tardío o a un acceso limitado a la atención médica”, afirmó el presidente del grupo de redacción de avisos científicos, Ashraf S. Harahsheh, M.D., FAHA, director tanto del Programa de Enfermedad de Kawasaki como del Programa de Resultados de Calidad en Cardiología del Children’s National Hospital en Washington, D. C. “En este aviso científico se destaca el poder de la colaboración internacional para avanzar en la investigación y mejorar la atención de los pacientes en todas partes. Mediante el intercambio de datos, conocimientos especializados y prácticas recomendadas, podemos reducir las desigualdades y mejorar los resultados de salud cardíaca para los niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki, sin importar dónde vivan”.

¿Qué es la enfermedad de Kawasaki?

La enfermedad de Kawasaki es una afección poco frecuente, pero grave, que se presenta principalmente en niños menores de cinco años. Puede causar inflamación de los vasos sanguíneos en todo el cuerpo, especialmente en las arterias coronarias (los vasos que suministran sangre al corazón), y es la principal causa de enfermedades cardíacas adquiridas (no congénitas [sitio web en inglés]) en los niños. Los síntomas de la enfermedad de Kawasaki incluyen fiebre, erupción cutánea, labios rojos y “lengua de fresa” (irregular y roja con papilas gustativas inflamadas). El tratamiento inmediato es fundamental para prevenir complicaciones cardiovasculares graves, y la mayoría de los niños se recuperan por completo con tratamiento.

Aunque la causa de la enfermedad de Kawasaki sigue siendo desconocida, existe una fuerte sospecha de que pueda tratarse de una respuesta inmunitaria anómala a un desencadenante, como una enfermedad infecciosa en un niño genéticamente susceptible. Sin embargo, aún no se ha identificado ningún agente específico.

Se estima que más de 4,200 niños reciben un diagnóstico de enfermedad de Kawasaki en los EE. UU. cada año. Según una declaración científica sobre la enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) del 2024 de la American Heart Association, la enfermedad se presenta entre 10 y 30 veces más a menudo en países de Asia Oriental, incluidos Japón, Corea del Sur, China y Taiwán.

Los puntos más destacados del aviso incluyen lo siguiente:

El diagnóstico y el tratamiento tempranos son fundamentales: el retraso en el diagnóstico sigue siendo un gran obstáculo para obtener resultados óptimos, especialmente en países y comunidades con menos recursos de salud. Si no se trata, aproximadamente uno de cada cuatro niños con enfermedad de Kawasaki puede desarrollar aneurismas de las arterias coronarias (sitio web en inglés). El tratamiento inmediato con inmunoglobulina intravenosa (IgIV) puede reducir el riesgo de aneurisma a menos del 5%. Es esencial fortalecer la capacidad de diagnóstico y tratamiento en las regiones donde el acceso a la atención es más limitado.

La colaboración ha mejorado la atención, pero aún persisten las brechas: los avances en el control de la enfermedad de Kawasaki han tenido mayor éxito en países grandes, con experiencia y económicamente avanzados. Estos logros suelen ser el resultado de colaboraciones sólidas en materia de investigación, del intercambio de conocimientos especializados y de planes de tratamiento coordinados. En los últimos años, han surgido iniciativas de colaboración adicionales a nivel regional, nacional e internacional, incluso en países de ingresos bajos y medios (PIBM). Sin embargo, la mayoría de las redes de colaboración actuales sobre la enfermedad de Kawasaki no cuentan con financiamiento formal.

Se necesita un enfoque global y armonizado: el aviso recomienda colaboraciones internacionales inclusivas que tengan en cuenta las necesidades culturales de las comunidades locales, den prioridad a la identificación y reducción de las barreras en la atención, supervisen los resultados para mejorar los desenlaces y promuevan la atención basada en la evidencia en todas las regiones, particularmente en los PIBM. Una colaboración internacional eficaz debe tener en cuenta las diferencias entre las comunidades, incluidos la cultura, el idioma, las zonas horarias y los recursos disponibles en los centros participantes. Además, es importante contar con la participación de los pacientes, las familias y los grupos de intercesión para respaldar una atención centrada en el paciente y mejorar el acceso a la atención médica.

“Cuando los hospitales y los sistemas de salud colaboran y comparan sus resultados, esto puede ayudar a identificar los retos locales o regionales, como las deficiencias en los recursos o el acceso a la atención médica, que deben abordarse. Compartir esta información puede conducir a una mejor atención y a mejoras continuas. Los futuros esfuerzos internacionales para mejorar la atención de la enfermedad de Kawasaki deben centrarse en trabajar juntos para mejorar la calidad, desarrollar la experiencia local, orientar a los líderes clínicos y fortalecer los sistemas de atención en los países de ingresos bajos, y medios, en los que el acceso a la atención suele ser más limitado”, señaló Harahsheh.

Este aviso científico fue elaborado por el grupo de redacción voluntario en nombre del Comité de Fiebre Reumática, Endocarditis y Enfermedad de Kawasaki del Consejo sobre Enfermedades Cardíacas Congénitas de por Vida y Salud Cardíaca en los Jóvenes (el Consejo de Corazones Jóvenes) de la American Heart Association. Los avisos científicos sirven de base para la elaboración de declaraciones científicas y directrices; sin embargo, no formulan recomendaciones de tratamiento. Las pautas de la American Heart Association proporcionan las recomendaciones oficiales de la práctica clínica de la Asociación.

En el manuscrito se indican los miembros del grupo de redacción del aviso científico y las declaraciones de los autores.

La Asociación recibe más de un 85% de sus ingresos de fuentes que no son empresas. Estas fuentes incluyen contribuciones de personas particulares, fundaciones y patrimonios, así como ganancias por inversiones e ingresos por la venta de nuestros materiales informativos. Las empresas (incluidas las farmacéuticas, los fabricantes de dispositivos y otras compañías) también realizan donaciones a la Asociación. La Asociación tiene políticas estrictas para evitar que las donaciones influyan en el contenido científico y en las posturas de sus políticas. La información financiera general está disponible aquí (sitio web en inglés).

Recursos adicionales:

Los recursos multimedia disponibles se encuentran en la columna derecha del vínculo de la publicación
Comunicado de prensa en inglés
Después de las 5:00 a. m., ET del 18 de mayo del 2026, consulte el artículo (sitio web en inglés) en línea.
Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: La detección temprana y el tratamiento intensivo son fundamentales para los pacientes de alto riesgo con enfermedad de Kawasaki (sitio web en inglés) (noviembre del 2024)
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Las medidas de prevención de la pandemia se asocian con menores índices de enfermedad de Kawasaki en los niños (sitio web en inglés) (junio del 2021)
Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: Se necesitan planes formales para prestar apoyo a los adolescentes con enfermedad de Kawasaki en la transición a la atención médica para adultos (sitio web en inglés) (octubre del 2021)
Siga las noticias de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral) en X en @HeartNews
Siga las noticias de la Journal of the American Heart Association en @JAHA_AHA

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Acerca de la American Heart Association

La American Heart Association es una fuerza incansable para un mundo de vidas más largas y saludables. La organización ha sido una fuente líder de información sobre salud durante más de cien años y su objetivo es garantizar la equidad en la salud en todas las comunidades. Con el apoyo de más de 35 millones de voluntarios en todo el mundo, financiamos investigaciones vanguardistas, defendemos la salud pública y proporcionamos recursos fundamentales para salvar y mejorar vidas afectadas por enfermedades cardiovasculares y ataques o derrames cerebrales. Trabajamos incansablemente para hacer avanzar la salud y transformar vidas cada día mediante el impulso de avances y la implementación de soluciones comprobadas en las áreas de ciencia, políticas y cuidados. Comuníquese con nosotros en heart.org (sitio web en inglés), Facebook o X, o llame al 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación: 214-706-1173

Amanda Ebert: Amanda.Ebert@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sito web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

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Prior heart attack linked to faster declines in thinking and memory skills

Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

People who survived a heart attack had 5% higher odds each year of developing cognitive impairment compared to people who have not had a heart attack.
Maintaining better cardiovascular health plays an important role in preserving normal brain function long term.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, May 14, 2026

DALLAS, May 14, 2026 — The chance of developing cognitive impairment was significantly higher for people who have had a heart attack, according to a study published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

“Having had a heart attack in the past may speed up the decline in memory and thinking over time,” said study lead author Mohamed Ridha, M.D., an assistant professor of neurology at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. “Given the rising burden of dementia and cognitive decline among Americans, it is important to understand how cardiovascular disease affects their brain health. This knowledge can help heart attack survivors take steps to improve their brain health as they age.”

In this study, researchers examined the potential relationship between a prior history of heart attack and the trajectory of cognitive function over time. The study included more than 20,000 adult men and women who underwent a medical interview and electrocardiogram at the start of the study to determine if they had a heart attack at any point in their past.

Over a 10-year follow-up period, participants underwent a simple cognitive screening with 6 questions once per year. The analysis adjusted for all factors that contribute to cognitive decline to identify the true impact of a prior heart attack.

The analysis found:

Compared to people without a previous heart attack, heart attack survivors had an average yearly 5% increased odds of developing cognitive impairment. This association was similar among Black and white adults, as well as men and women.
People with an undiagnosed (silent) heart attack were also found to have an accelerated rate of cognitive decline, compared to participants who had not had a heart attack.
Among women, a silent heart attack was more common than a medical diagnosis or self-reported heart attack.

“As people age, the risk of cognitive issues and dementia increases, and some people may be at higher risk of cognitive decline. Our study found that those who have had a heart attack, including silent heart attacks, are one of those groups at higher risk. It’s important for clinicians who care for heart attack survivors to also provide counseling on ways to avoid cognitive decline and dementia,” Ridha said.

The American Heart Association defines optimal heart and brain health through its Life’s Essential 8™ metrics — four health behaviors (eat better, be more active, quit tobacco and get healthy sleep) and four health factors (healthy weight and manage cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar). This study adds more evidence that good heart health is linked to better brain health.

“This study highlights a group of people who may be at higher risk for conditions that affect memory and thinking over time,” said Elisabeth Marsh, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2026 American Heart Association Scientific Statement Brain Health Across the Lifespan. “A previous heart attack may be a sign of more widespread blood vessel disease throughout the body, not just in the heart. However, more research is needed to better understand what’s really driving this connection and how damage in different blood vessels may be linked to changes in brain health.” Marsh, who was not involved in this research, is a professor of neurology and associate director of the neurology residency program at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Stroke Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore.

To address the growing burden of age-related cognitive impairment, the American Heart Association and the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group have created the AHA-Allen Initiative in Brain Health and Cognitive Impairment. The two organizations, along with additional contributors, have committed more than $43 million toward research to advance the understanding of brain health and improve lives. More information about the awards given to fund brain health research is available here. In addition, the Association’s Strategically Focused Research Network on Inflammation in Cardiac and Neurovascular Disease awarded $15 million to researchers to study inflammation’s impact on heart and brain health.

Study details, background and design:

The analysis included health data for 20,923 men and women enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.
Their average age was 63 years old, and 62% were white adults and 38% Black adults.
Participants were enrolled from 2003 to 2007 and had an electrocardiogram and no cognitive impairment at enrollment. REGARDS study data were collected from 2003 to 2017.
Evidence of a prior heart attack was identified in 10.4% of the participants: with 5.2% being self-reported, 1.3% confirmed by electrocardiogram (clinical), and 3.8% were unrecognized/silent heart attacks (no previous diagnosis of heart attack but evidence found on electrocardiogram). Participants were followed for a median of 10 years for cognitive decline.
The researchers adjusted for age, sex, race, geographic region in the U.S., education, income, exercise frequency, weight, blood pressure, kidney function, alcohol use, smoking, diabetes, depression, and any major cardiovascular events (stroke or heart attack) that occurred during the follow-up period.
The analysis examined the association between prior heart attack and change in overall cognitive function, assessed by annual telephone-based Six-Item Screener scores. The simple cognitive screening with 6 questions once per year. Participants were asked three orientation questions regarding the current year, month, and day of the week. They were then presented with three words (commonly “apple,” “table,” and “penny”) and, after a short delay, asked to recall them. One point is assigned for each correct response, yielding a total score ranging from 0 to 6, with lower scores indicating worse cognitive performance.

Some limitations of the study may affect the results. The analysis reviewed data from an ongoing, prospective study that was designed to compare stroke incidence in the southeastern U.S., known as the stroke belt. Additionally, the cognitive test used is a simple six-question test that only measures overall cognition rather than specific brain and mental functions.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content. A detailed listing of revenue from foundations and corporations including health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here.

Additional Resources:

Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
After May 14, view the manuscript online.
American Heart Association news release: Adults with heart-healthy metrics had better health from head to toe (July 2025)
American Heart Association news release: Heart failure, atrial fibrillation & coronary heart disease linked to cognitive impairment (Oct. 2024) Statement
American Heart Association scientific statement: A Primary Care Agenda for Brain Health (March 2021)American Heart Association health information: Optimal Brain Health
Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews

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About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit stroke.org. Follow us on Facebook, X.

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Muscle loss, weak grip and slow walking pace linked to higher stroke risk

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

Muscle loss, weaker grip and a slower pace of walking were associated with a higher risk of stroke in an analysis of health records for more than 480,000 adults in the UK Biobank.
People with low muscle strength had a 30% higher risk of any type of stroke; a 31% higher risk of an ischemic stroke; and a 41% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
Having lower grip strength was linked to a 7% higher chance of having a stroke.
Slow walking pace was associated with a 64% increased risk of stroke compared to a brisk pace.
The study results could lead to a simple and low-cost way to identify people with higher risk of stroke and help them with prevention strategies.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, May 7, 2026

DALLAS, May 7, 2026 — Muscle loss, a weaker grip and a slower walking pace were associated with a higher risk of stroke in adults, according to new research published today in Stroke, the peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

In the study, people with low muscle strength had a 30% higher risk of any type of stroke; a 31% higher risk of an ischemic stroke; and a 41% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Having lower grip strength was linked to a 7% higher chance of having a stroke. Slow walking pace was associated with a 64% increased risk of stroke compared to a brisk pace.

In clinical practice, we often see that patients with lower levels of physical function tend to have worse overall health outcomes. However, these physical function indicators are currently not routinely incorporated into stroke risk assessment,” said study author Lu-sha Tong, M.D., a neurologist at the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in Hangzhou, China. “

Researchers reviewed health data for more than 480,000 adults enrolled in the UK Biobank who had not had a previous stroke and found that lower measures of muscle strength, muscle loss and walking pace were associated with a higher risk of having a stroke.

“As people age, they often lose muscle strength and mass. This loss is associated with higher stroke risk by showing lower physical health, chronic inflammation and changes in metabolism. Weak muscles may be an early warning sign of a higher risk for stroke,” she said.

Tong also noted that the finding about walking pace showed a stronger, more consistent association with stroke risk than grip strength. “Walking pace may be a good sign of overall health.”

“Our findings suggest that quick, standard screenings for physical function, such as grip strength and walking pace, may help us identify adults with higher risk of stroke, potentially supporting earlier prevention strategies,” she said.

According to the American Heart Association’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2026 Update, stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and a leading cause of long-term disability.

The analysis found:

About 4.7% of study participants were likely to have experienced muscle loss, while 0.4% had confirmed muscle loss.
People with probable muscle loss (low muscle strength) had a 30% higher risk of any type of stroke; a 31% higher risk of an ischemic stroke; and a 41% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke.
Adults who had documented muscle loss were older (average age of 60.8 vs. 56.3 years, respectively), included fewer men (31.6% vs. 45.8%, respectively), had lower body mass index (average BMI of 21.0 vs. 27.4, respectively) and had lower-than-college education levels compared to peers without muscle loss.
Among 11,814 participants who had a stroke, those with muscle loss had higher mortality rates, with increases of about 25% in probable cases and nearly 46% in confirmed cases compared with those without muscle loss.
Having lower grip strength was linked to a 7% higher chance of having a stroke.
Slow walking pace was associated with a 64% increased risk of stroke compared to a brisk pace.
A method of analysis using genetic variants to estimate the potential causal effect of genetic exposure, known as Mendelian randomization, indicated that a faster walking pace was associated with a lower risk of stroke.

Study details, background and design:

Researchers analyzed health records for 482,699 adults (ages 37 to 73 years) enrolled in the UK Biobank who had no history of stroke. The health data analyzed was from 2006 to 2022.
During a median follow-up of almost 14 years, 11,814 stroke cases were documented, including 9,449 ischemic (clot-caused) strokes and 2,029 hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes
Average age for participants with and without muscle loss ranged from 56 to 61 years old; between 32% and 45% were men, and they were mostly white adults.
Muscle strength was evaluated using guidelines for older adults – the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2).
Muscle loss (sarcopenia) was defined as an age-related decline in muscle mass. Grip strength was measured using standard handheld dynamometers. It was determined based on grip-strength measurements with sex-specific thresholds of 27 kg (60 pounds) for men and 16 kg (35 pounds) for women. Walking pace was self-reported as slow, average or brisk.
Low muscle strength indicated “probable sarcopenia,” while low muscle quantity/quality (measured with a body composition analyzer) led to a diagnosis of confirmed sarcopenia.

The study has several strengths. It includes a large number of participants, uses a forward-looking design and combines observational and genetic analysis. However, there are some limitations. Researchers could not control for some factors that might confuse the results, such as relying on self-reported data for certain variables. Additionally, the findings may not apply to everyone since the participants were healthy adults receiving routine care from the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Additional Resources:

Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
After May 7, view the manuscript online.
American Heart Association news release: Study finds heart health declining in older adults with certain cardiovascular diseases (August 2025)
American Heart Association’s 2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke (Oct. 2024)
American Heart Association news release: For older adults, more physical activity could mean longer, healthier lives (March 2020)
American Heart Association health information: Fit in Walking Morning, Noon or Night
American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity
American Heart Association health initiative: Healthy for Good
Follow AHA/ASA news on X @HeartNews

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About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Siete galardonados a nivel nacional redefinen cómo puede ser la vida después de un ataque o derrame cerebral

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

DALLAS, 1 de mayo del 2026 — El ataque o derrame cerebral es una de las causas principales de discapacidad grave y a largo plazo en los EE. UU. y, para muchos sobrevivientes y familias, el trabajo duro comienza después de la hospitalización. A nivel nacional, los sobrevivientes, cuidadores e intercesores están creando nuevos caminos hacia el futuro. La American Stroke Association (Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral), una división de la American Heart Association (Asociación Americana del Corazón), está honrando a siete Héroes del Ataque o Derrame Cerebral cuyas acciones ayudan a redefinir cómo puede ser la vida después de esta afección.

Mediante el reconocimiento cada mes de mayo durante el Mes del Derrame Cerebral en Estados Unidos, los premios Héroe del Ataque o Derrame Cerebral honran a los sobrevivientes de ataques o derrames cerebrales, cuidadores, profesionales de la salud y organizaciones comunitarias cuyas acciones apoyan a las personas afectadas a nivel mundial por esta emergencia. Los premios destacan los esfuerzos en el mundo real que ayudan a los sobrevivientes y cuidadores a experimentar la recuperación a través de la conexión, la educación y las experiencias compartidas.

La vida después de un ataque o derrame cerebral a menudo significa vivir desafíos físicos, emocionales y cognitivos duraderos[1]. Los Héroes del Ataque o Derrame Cerebral de este año muestran cómo la experiencia personal puede brindar fortaleza a los demás, ya sea para cuidar a un ser querido, reducir el aislamiento o ayudar a los demás sobrevivientes y cuidadores a encontrar un camino hacia el futuro.

Entre los ganadores, se incluyen las siguientes categorías:

Héroe cuidador: Felicia Veasey, Summerville, Carolina del Sur
Felicia Veasey divide su vida en dos épocas: antes del segundo ataque o derrame cerebral de su madre y después de este, cuando reorganizó su vida en torno a las necesidades de su madre y se convirtió en su cuidadora a tiempo completo. A pesar de las intensas exigencias del rol como cuidadora, la atención de Felicia ha impulsado mejoras significativas en la salud de su madre. Felicia, con la intención de ayudar a otras personas en la misma situación, coordinó e impartió Empowered Minds and Hearts (Mentes y corazones empoderados), un seminario web público en el que se analizó la salud mental y el bienestar de los cuidadores.

Héroe de impacto comunitario: Lamont Causey, Detroit
El ataque o derrame cerebral que sufrió Lamont Causey, de Detroit, le quitó la capacidad de hablar, tragar y caminar en el 2019. Sin embargo, con su compromiso y resiliencia, Lamont recuperó su funcionalidad y movilidad. No quería detenerse en su propia recuperación; ahora comparte su historia en toda su comunidad para educar, alentar y apoyar a los sobrevivientes de un ataque o derrame cerebral y a sus cuidadores. Lamont tiene una pasión particular por ayudar a las personas en dificultades en comunidades con pocos recursos.

Héroe de R.Á.P.I.D.O.: Nasheel Joules, McKinney, Texas
Cuando Nasheel Joules notó que su esposo, Mark, de repente hacía esfuerzos para hablar, pronunciaba palabras de forma incorrecta y no podía repetir frases, sabía que algo estaba mal. Llamó al 911 de manera inmediata. Los médicos confirmaron que Mark había sufrido un accidente isquémico transitorio (AIT) y, como Nasheel reconoció los signos y actuó con rapidez, su esposo recibió una evaluación rápida para ayudar a proteger su salud a largo plazo. Nasheel y Mark continúan convirtiendo esa experiencia en acción, ya que recaudan fondos para la Asociación a través de su exposición anual de luces navideñas en McKinney y colaboran con funcionarios locales para promover una rápida respuesta a emergencias médicas, como ataques o derrames cerebrales.

Héroes grupales: The Aphasia Recovery Connection, Leland, Carolina del Norte
Las personas que sufren de afasia, es decir, dificultad para hablar, leer o escribir después de una lesión cerebral, frecuentemente a causa de un ataque o derrame cerebral, a menudo se sienten solas y aisladas. Por ese motivo existe The Aphasia Recovery Connection, que tiene el objetivo de conectar a las personas con afasia con una comunidad comprensiva y proporcionarles apoyo y educación gratuitos respecto a la afasia que estén disponibles para cualquier persona, sin importar el dinero o la ubicación geográfica. La organización sin fines de lucro presta servicios a más de 20,000 miembros y partidarios de la comunidad, que se benefician del apoyo y la compasión mientras se recuperan de los ataques y derrames cerebrales y los cambios en su capacidad de hablar.

Héroe pediátrico: Marina Ganetsky, Needham, Massachusetts
A los 10 años, Marina Ganetsky sufrió la ruptura de una malformación arteriovenosa (MAV), una compleja red de venas y arterias tan devastadora que causó múltiples ataques o derrames cerebrales en su cerebro joven. Marina no podía caminar, hablar, tragar, leer ni escribir. Con mucha determinación, disciplina y trabajo duro, Marina, que ahora tiene 15 años, ha tenido un progreso tremendo. Ayuda a otras personas con discursos sobre sus ataques o derrames cerebrales en conferencias nacionales. También escribió un libro para niños que se enfrentan a ataques o derrames cerebrales y otras lesiones en el cerebro.

Héroe sobreviviente: Gabriela Raso, Missouri City, Texas
La Navidad del 2013 trajo un desafío que cambió la vida de Gabriela Raso, quien sufrió un accidente cerebrovascular isquémico que no se detectó inicialmente. Los médicos de la sala de urgencias querían enviarla a casa. Pero Gabriela, que también era médica, sabía que algo estaba muy mal e insistió en que le hicieran una tomografía computarizada para que se confirmara el ataque o derrame cerebral. El diagnóstico le salvó la vida. Ahora Gabriela habla en representación de otros pacientes que han sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral. Es cofundadora de The Stroke Foundation, que intercede por un mayor acceso a los tratamientos, los recursos y el apoyo que le permitieron recuperarse.

Héroe por elección de los votantes: Stacie Barber, Peoria, Arizona
Stacie Barber, fisioterapeuta y propietaria de un negocio, se negó a aceptar el terrible pronóstico de los médicos después de que su esposo, Logan, sufriera un ataque o derrame cerebral hemorrágico grave en septiembre del 2024. Pasó un mes en cuidados intensivos con respirador. Guiado por su determinación y sus conocimientos profesionales, el cuidado de Stacie promovió la excelente recuperación de su esposo, quien incluso pudo regresar a su trabajo a tiempo completo. Ha registrado de cada paso del proceso de Logan y lo comparte con más de 1 millón de sus seguidores en las redes sociales, que han adquirido conocimiento e inspiración de las publicaciones de Stacie.

Un panel nacional de jueces voluntarios de la American Stroke Association seleccionó a los ganadores, a excepción del premio por elección de los votantes, que se definió mediante votación popular en línea.

El ataque o derrame cerebral puede ocurrir a cualquier edad, y la recuperación es diferente para cada persona. Los premios Héroes del Ataque o Derrame Cerebral reconocen las distintas maneras en que las personas y las comunidades apoyan a los sobrevivientes y cuidadores a través de la conexión, la intercesión y las experiencias compartidas.

Para obtener más información, visite DerrameCerebral.org/PremiosalHeroe.

Recursos Adicionales:

Las fotos de cada ganador se pueden ver en la columna de la derecha del enlace del comunicado.
Comunicado de prensa en inglés
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Conocer los signos de un ataque o derrame cerebral puede salvar una vida cuando cada minuto cuenta
Sigue las noticias de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association en X @HeartNews

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Acerca de la American Heart Association

Acerca de la American Stroke Association

La American Stroke Association es una organización que trabaja incesantemente para promover un mundo con vidas más sanas y duraderas con menos ataques o derrames cerebrales. Trabajamos en equipo con millones de voluntarios y donantes para garantizar un acceso equitativo a la atención de salud y de ataques o derrames cerebrales en todas las comunidades. Trabajamos para prevenir, tratar y vencer los ataques o derrames cerebrales mediante el financiamiento de investigaciones innovadoras, la lucha por la salud pública y la entrega de recursos para salvar vidas. La Asociación, con sede en Dallas, se creó en 1998 como una división de la American Heart Association. Para obtener más información o sumarse a nuestra misión, llame al 1-888-4STROKE o visite derramecerebral.org. Síganos en Facebook y X.

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación: 214-706-1173

Darcy Wallace: 303-801-4683;Darcy.Wallace@heart.org
Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org y derramecerebral.org

[1] www.stroke.org/es/about-stroke/effects-of-stroke Consultado el 24 de abril del 2026

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7 honorees nationwide are redefining what life after stroke can look like

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

DALLAS, May 1, 2026 — Stroke is a leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the U.S., and for many survivors and families, the hard work begins once the hospital stay ends. Nationwide, survivors, caregivers and advocates are creating new paths forward. The American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, is honoring seven Stroke Heroes whose actions are helping redefine what life after stroke can look like.

Recognized each May during American Stroke Month, the Stroke Hero Awards honor survivors of stroke, caregivers, health care professionals and community organizations whose actions support people affected by stroke nationwide. The awards spotlight real‑world efforts that help survivors and caregivers navigate recovery through connection, education and shared experience.

Life after a stroke often means navigating lasting physical, emotional and cognitive challenges[1]. This year’s Stroke Heroes show how personal experience can become a source of strength for others — whether caring for a loved one, reducing isolation or helping fellow survivors and caregivers find a path forward.

Winners include:

Caregiver Hero: Felicia Veasey, Summerville, South Carolina
Felicia Veasey divides her life into two eras: before her mother’s second stroke and after it, when she rearranged her life around her mother’s needs and became her full-time caregiver. Despite the intense demands of the caregiving role, Felicia’s care has spurred significant improvements in her mother’s health. Felicia, wanting to help others in the same situation, coordinated and facilitated Empowered Minds and Hearts, a public webinar that explored the mental health and well-being of caregivers.

Community Impact Hero: Lamont Causey, Detroit
Lamont Causey’s stroke left the Detroit resident unable to speak, swallow or walk in 2019. But with his commitment and resilience, Lamont regained his function and mobility. He didn’t want to stop with his own recovery; he now shares his story throughout his community to educate, encourage and support survivors of stroke and their caregivers. Lamont has a particular passion for helping struggling people in under-resourced communities.

B.E. F.A.S.T. Hero: Nasheel Joules, McKinney, Texas
When Nasheel Joules noticed her husband, Mark, suddenly struggling to speak, mispronouncing words and unable to repeat sentences, she knew something was wrong. She called 911 immediately. Doctors confirmed Mark had experienced a transient ischemic attack (TIA), and because Nasheel recognized the signs and acted quickly, he received prompt evaluation to help protect his long-term health. Nasheel and Mark continue to turn that experience into action, raising funds for the Association through their annual Christmas light display in McKinney and working with local officials to support rapid emergency response for medical emergencies like stroke.

Group Heroes: The Aphasia Recovery Connection, Leland, North Carolina
People living with aphasia — difficulty speaking, reading and/or writing after brain injury, frequently from a stroke — often feel lonely and isolated. That is why The Aphasia Recovery Connection exists: to connect people with aphasia to a supportive community, and to provide free aphasia support and education that is available to anyone, regardless of money or geography. The nonprofit serves over 20,000 members and community subscribers, who benefit from the support and compassion as they navigate recovering from strokes and changes in their speech.

Pediatric Hero: Marina Ganetsky, Needham, Massachusetts
At the age of 10, Marina Ganetsky suffered a ruptured AVM (arteriovenous malformation), a tangled web of veins and arteries so devastating that it caused multiple strokes in her young brain. Marina was unable to walk, talk, swallow, read or write. With a lot of determination, discipline and hard work, Marina, now 15, has made tremendous progress. She helps others by speaking about her strokes at national conferences. She has written a book for children who face strokes and other brain injuries.

Survivor Hero: Gabriela Raso, Missouri City, Texas
Christmas 2013 brought a life-changing challenge for Gabriela Raso, who experienced an ischemic stroke that wasn’t caught at first. The ER doctors wanted to send her home. But Gabriela, a physician herself, knew something was very wrong and insisted on a CT scan that confirmed the stroke. The diagnosis saved her life. Now Gabriela speaks up for other stroke patients. She co-founded The Stroke Foundation, which advocates for expanded access to the therapies, resources and support that enabled her recovery.

Voters’ Choice Hero: Stacie Barber, Peoria, Arizona
Stacie Barber, a physical therapist and business owner, refused to accept doctors’ dire outlook after her husband, Logan, had a large bleeding stroke in September 2024. He spent a month in intensive care on a ventilator. Guided by her resolve and professional knowledge, Stacie’s caregiving fueled her husband’s strong recovery, including his return to full-time work. She has tracked each step of Logan’s journey and shares it with her more than 1 million social media followers, who have learned from and been inspired by Stacie’s posts.

Winners were selected by a nationwide panel of volunteer judges from the American Stroke Association, except for the Voters’ Choice Award, which was selected by online popular vote.

Stroke can happen at any age, and recovery looks different for every person. The Stroke Hero Awards recognize the many ways individuals and communities are supporting survivors and caregivers through connection, advocacy and shared experiences.

For more information, visit Stroke.org/HeroAwards.

Additional Resources:

Photos of each winner are available on the right column of the release link.
Spanish news release
American Heart Association news release: Knowing stroke signs can save a life when every minute counts | Spanish News Release
Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews

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About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities, the organization has been a leading source of health information for more than one hundred years. Supported by more than 35 million volunteers globally, we fund groundbreaking research, advocate for the public’s health, and provide critical resources to save and improve lives affected by cardiovascular disease and stroke. By driving breakthroughs and implementing proven solutions in science, policy, and care, we work tirelessly to advance health and transform lives every day. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   

About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is a relentless force for a world with fewer strokes and longer, healthier lives. We team with millions of volunteers and donors to ensure equitable health and stroke care in all communities. We work to prevent, treat and beat stroke by funding innovative research, fighting for the public’s health, and providing lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based association was created in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit stroke.org. Follow us on Facebook and X.

For Media Inquiries: 214-706-1173

Darcy Wallace: 303-801-4683; Darcy.Wallace@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org and stroke.org

[1] www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/effects-of-stroke

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Conocer los signos de un ataque o derrame cerebral puede salvar una vida cuando cada minuto cuenta

Fri, 01 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

DALLAS, 1 de mayo del 2026 — Un ataque o derrame cerebral puede cambiar una vida en un instante. Según la American Stroke Association (Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral), una división de la American Heart Association (Asociación Americana del Corazón), actuar con rapidez en los minutos posteriores a la aparición de los síntomas puede ayudar a proteger el cerebro, reducir la discapacidad a largo plazo y salvar una vida.

En promedio, mueren casi 2 millones de neuronas por cada minuto que pasa sin tratarse un ataque o derrame cerebral, por lo que la detección y el tratamiento tempranos son fundamentales. Durante el mes de mayo, el Mes del Derrame Cerebral en Estados Unidos, la American Stroke Association destaca la importancia de reconocer las señales de alerta de un ataque o derrame cerebral y comprender cómo el tratamiento temprano y la prevención pueden marcar una diferencia significativa cuando más importa.

El ataque o derrame cerebral es la cuarta causa principal de muerte, según la Actualización de estadísticas sobre enfermedades cardíacas y derrames cerebrales (ataques cerebrales) del 2026 de la American Heart Association[1], además de ser una de las principales causas de discapacidad grave y a largo plazo en los Estados Unidos. Cada año, alrededor de 800,000 personas en EE. UU. tienen un ataque o derrame cerebral. Los ataques o derrames cerebrales pueden ocurrirle a cualquier persona a cualquier edad.

Tres cosas que puede hacer para actuar ante un ataque o derrame cerebral:

Aprenda el método RÁPIDO para detectar un ataque o derrame cerebral. Si observa señales repentinas de “Rostro caído”, “Alteración del equilibrio”, “Pérdida de fuerza en el brazo o pierna”, “Impedimento visual repentino”, “Dificultad para hablar”, es momento de “Obtener ayuda llamando al 911” (o su número de emergencia local). Descubra los signos participando en la experiencia RÁPIDO en DerrameCerebral.org.
Conozca su riesgo de sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral y descubra cómo reducirlo. Identificar los factores de riesgo personales, especialmente la presión arterial alta, que es el principal factor de riesgo de un ataque o derrame cerebral, puede ayudarlo a mantener conversaciones informadas con su equipo de cuidados de salud sobre la prevención de estos ataques o derrames cerebrales y la salud cerebral a largo plazo.
Busque apoyo después de un ataque o derrame cerebral. La recuperación es un proceso y el apoyo es importante. Explore los servicios de apoyo para sobrevivientes y cuidadores, incluidas las reuniones virtuales sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral, y suscríbase al boletín electrónico Stroke Connection en DerrameCerebral.org.

Reconozca las señales de alerta de un ataque o derrame cerebral: RÁPIDO

Cuando se produce un ataque o derrame cerebral, se interrumpe el flujo sanguíneo al cerebro. Cuanto más tiempo se retrasa el tratamiento, mayor es el riesgo de sufrir daños permanentes. Llamar al 911 (o su número de emergencia local) es la forma más rápida de recibir atención médica en caso de un ataque o derrame cerebral. El servicio de emergencias médicas (SEM) puede iniciar el tratamiento de inmediato y alertar al equipo de atención médica de ataques o derrames cerebrales del hospital antes de que usted llegue.

R.Á.P.I.D.O. es una forma sencilla de recordar las señales de alerta más comunes de un ataque o derrame cerebral:

R: Rostro caído.
Á: Alteración del equilibrio.
P: Pérdida de fuerza en el brazo o pierna.
I: Impedimento visual repentino.
D: Dificultad para hablar.
O: Obtenga ayuda, llame al 911 (o su número de emergencia local).

Tome medidas para prevenir los ataques o derrames cerebrales

Según la American Heart Association y la American Stroke Association, aproximadamente el 80% de los ataques o derrames cerebrales se pueden prevenir. La presión arterial alta es el principal factor de riesgo de los ataques o derrames cerebrales[2], y la presión arterial no controlada, la diabetes y la obesidad aumentan significativamente el riesgo.

La gran mayoría de los ataques o derrames cerebrales se pueden prevenir con las siguientes medidas:

Controlar la presión arterial. La reducción y el control de la presión arterial disminuyen el riesgo de sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral. Las revisiones periódicas, el monitoreo en casa y el cumplimiento de un plan de tratamiento pueden reducir el riesgo y favorecer la salud cerebral a largo plazo.
Crear hábitos saludables. Una alimentación equilibrada, mantenerse activo, no fumar y someterse a exámenes de detección de rutina son factores importantes en la reducción del riesgo de ataques o derrames cerebrales. La iniciativa Life’s Essential 8^TM de la American Heart Association describe los pasos clave para mejorar y mantener la salud cardiovascular y cerebral.
Reducir el riesgo de sufrir un segundo ataque o derrame cerebral. La prevención cobra mayor importancia para las personas que han sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral o un accidente isquémico transitorio (AIT), a veces denominado “ataque o derrame cerebral de advertencia”. Casi 1 de cada 4 ataques o derrames cerebrales se produce en personas que ya han sufrido uno anteriormente[3]. Comprender qué causó el primer ataque o derrame cerebral e identificar los factores de riesgo personales puede ayudar a orientar los próximos pasos y reducir la probabilidad de que se produzca otro.

Apoyo adaptado a su situación

La recuperación tras un ataque o derrame cerebral es diferente para cada persona, por lo que el apoyo puede desempeñar una función importante durante el proceso. La American Stroke Association ofrece recursos diseñados para ayudar a los sobrevivientes y a sus cuidadores a estar informados, comunicados y respaldados, lo que incluye reuniones virtuales en vivo sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral en las que los participantes pueden compartir experiencias, hacer preguntas y aprender de expertos de confianza. Manténgase comunicado con las herramientas de recuperación y el apoyo disponibles suscribiéndose al boletín electrónico Stroke Connection.

Un ataque o derrame cerebral puede ocurrir de forma repentina. Conocer los síntomas mediante el método RÁPIDO puede ayudarlo a actuar cuando cada minuto cuenta. Este Mes del Derrame Cerebral en Estados Unidos, explore recursos confiables, herramientas prácticas y apoyo en DerrameCerebral.org.

La HCA Healthcare Foundation (Fundación de Cuidados de Salud HCA) es patrocinadora nacional de la iniciativa Together to End Stroke® de la American Stroke Association y del Mes del Derrame Cerebral en Estados Unidos.

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Recursos adicionales:

El material multimedia está disponible en la columna derecha del enlace del comunicado.
Comunicado de prensa en inglés
R.Á.P.I.D.O. infográfica
Experiencia interactiva R.Á.P.I.D.O.
Reunión virtual en vivo sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral: La salud mental después de un ataque o derrame cerebral el 4 de mayo
Sigue las noticias en American Heart Association en X @HeartNews.

Acerca de la American Heart Association

Acerca de la American Stroke Association

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación: 214-706-1173

Darcy Wallace: 303-801-4683; Darcy.Wallace@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)
heart.org y derramecerebral.org.

[1] L A Palaniappan; et al Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2026 Update: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association Circulation. 2026; 153:00–00. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001412

[2] D W Jones; et al 2025 AHA / ACC / AANP / AAPA / ABC / ACCP / ACPM / AGS / AMA / ASPC / NMA / PCNA / SGIM Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. Circulation Volumen 152, Edición 11, 16 de septiembre de 2025; Páginas e114-e218 https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001356

[3] L A Palaniappan; et al Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2026 Update: A Report of US and Global Data From the American Heart Association Circulation. 2026; 153:00–00. DOI: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001412

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La salud cerebral está determinada por factores mentales, físicos, ambientales y de estilo de vida durante toda la vida

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Aspectos destacados de la declaración:

La salud cerebral de una persona está influenciada por su salud psicológica, entorno, calidad del sueño, sus condiciones sociales y afecciones crónicas durante toda la vida. Los acontecimientos y experiencias de la vida, incluso en la primera infancia, también afectan el desarrollo cerebral y la salud cerebral a largo plazo.
Los hábitos de vida saludables, como llevar una dieta saludable; realizar actividad física y dormir lo suficiente; evitar el tabaquismo, el consumo excesivo de alcohol o de sustancias ilícitas; y reducir el estrés, pueden mejorar la salud cerebral durante toda la vida.
La nueva declaración científica identifica oportunidades para proteger la salud cerebral y reducir el riesgo de sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral, deterioro cognitivo y demencia mediante la promoción de comportamientos de estilo de vida saludables, la mejora de las condiciones ambientales, la ampliación del acceso a los cuidados de salud y el aumento del apoyo social para la salud y el bienestar mental.

Prohibida su divulgación hasta las 4:00 a. m., CT/5:00 a. m., ET del martes, 28 de abril del 2026

DALLAS, 28 de abril del 2026 — La salud cerebral no depende únicamente de la genética ni de lo que ocurra después en la vida. Cada vez son más las investigaciones en las que se demuestra que hay una serie de factores—desde la salud mental y el sueño hasta el entorno, el estilo de vida y las condiciones sociales—que tienen un papel fundamental en el funcionamiento y el envejecimiento del cerebro. En una nueva declaración científica de la American Heart Association (la Asociación Americana del Corazón) publicada hoy en la revista profesional científica revisada por expertos de la Asociación, Stroke, se destaca cómo las experiencias que comienzan en las primeras etapas de la vida y continúan durante esta pueden influir en la salud cerebral y afectar el riesgo de derramecerebral.org, deterioro cognitivo o demencia en la vejez.

En la nueva declaración científica “Salud cerebral durante toda la vida: un marco para estudios futuros”, se destacan las oportunidades de detección temprana, prevención e intervención para proteger la salud cerebral y apoyar un envejecimiento saludable.

Según la Oficina del Censo de los Estados Unidos, se prevé que la cantidad de adultos estadounidenses de 65 años o más aumente de 58 millones en el 2022 a 82 millones en el 2050, lo que supone un incremento del 42%, y se espera que la proporción del grupo de edad de 65 años o más respecto a la población total aumente del 17% al 23%. Se estima que el envejecimiento de la población de EE. UU. aumentará la prevalencia de afecciones cerebrales que repercuten en la memoria, el pensamiento, las habilidades de comunicación y la salud mental.

“A medida que los avances médicos y científicos prolongan la esperanza de vida, la salud cerebral cobra cada vez más importancia”, afirmó la presidenta del grupo de redacción de la declaración científica, Elisabeth Marsh, M.D., FAHA, profesora de neurología y directora asociada del programa de residencia en neurología de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Johns Hopkins y del Centro del Ataque o Derrame Cerebral del Centro Médico Johns Hopkins Bayview en Baltimore. “La cantidad de personas con deterioro cognitivo relacionado con la edad está aumentando rápidamente, lo que genera una carga significativa a nivel personal, emocional y para el sistema de salud”.

Según las estadísticas sobre enfermedades cardíacas y derrames cerebrales (ataques cerebrales) del 2026 de la American Heart Association (sitio web en inglés), el ataque o derrame cerebral ahora es la cuarta causa principal de muerte en los EE. UU. En una declaración científica sobre el deterioro cognitivo tras un ataque o derrame cerebral (sitio web en inglés) del 2023 de la American Heart Association y la American Stroke Association, se destacó que más de la mitad de las personas que sobreviven a un ataque o derrame cerebral presentan deterioro cognitivo durante el primer año posterior al episodio, y que hasta 1 de cada 3 podría desarrollar demencia en un plazo de 5 años.

En investigaciones anteriores sobre la salud cerebral se han considerado factores que dañan los vasos sanguíneos y reducen el flujo sanguíneo al cerebro, lo que puede aumentar el riesgo de sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral, deterioro cognitivo o demencia. Las investigaciones recientes también se han centrado en el papel de los factores psicológicos, ambientales, de estilo de vida y sociales que afectan la salud cerebral durante toda la vida.

“Durante mucho tiempo nos hemos centrado en controlar factores de riesgo como la presión arterial y el colesterol, los cuales siguen siendo fundamentales para la salud del corazón y el cerebro; sin embargo, en esta declaración se destaca la investigación sobre factores externos como la calidad del sueño, la microbiota intestinal y las condiciones sociales que también están vinculadas a la salud cerebral”, señaló Marsh.

“Uno de los mensajes más importantes de esta declaración científica es que la salud cerebral se desarrolla durante toda la vida. Lo que ocurre en las primeras etapas de la vida puede tener importancia décadas más tarde, lo que también significa que hay oportunidades en cada etapa de la vida para favorecer un envejecimiento cerebral más saludable”, añadió.

¿Qué factores influyen en la salud cerebral?

Según investigaciones recientes, hay numerosos factores mentales, físicos, ambientales y sociales que influyen en la salud cerebral durante toda la vida.

Salud mental: En una declaración científica sobre la conexión entre la mente, el corazón y el cuerpo (sitio web en inglés) del 2021 de la American Heart Association, se señaló que los factores psicológicos negativos y los trastornos de salud mental pueden repercutir negativamente en la salud cardiovascular. Con el tiempo, el estrés crónico, la depresión y la ansiedad pueden alterar el cerebro de formas que aumentan el riesgo de pérdida de memoria, demencia y ataque o derrame cerebral. Estos cambios fisiológicos y estructurales pueden incluir inflamación, daño relacionado con el estrés y pérdida de células cerebrales y conexiones. El estrés psicológico a largo plazo mantiene elevadas las hormonas del estrés y provoca arteriosclerosis (sitio web en inglés) (acumulación de placa en las arterias), así como alteraciones en el metabolismo de la glucosa; ambos factores pueden tener efectos perjudiciales para la salud cerebral con el tiempo.

Experiencias adversas en la infancia: Los niños que sufren abuso, negligencia, exposición a la violencia doméstica, separación o divorcio de los padres, encarcelamiento, o consumo o dependencia de sustancias ilícitas pueden tener un mayor riesgo de presentar dificultades de aprendizaje y atención en la infancia, así como trastornos de salud mental, deterioro cognitivo y demencia a medida que crecen.

Inflamación crónica: La inflamación a largo plazo puede dañar las células cerebrales y los vasos sanguíneos con el tiempo. Cuando la inflamación comienza a una edad temprana, puede interferir en el desarrollo saludable del cerebro. Puede desencadenarse por una infección durante el embarazo o por estrés crónico. Con el tiempo, esto puede aumentar el riesgo de problemas de aprendizaje, cognitivos y de salud mental. En la edad adulta, la inflamación persistente se asocia con la pérdida de memoria y enfermedades neurodegenerativas, como el Alzheimer y el Parkinson.

Microbioma intestinal: El intestino y el cerebro están estrechamente conectados y se comunican a través de los nervios, las señales inmunitarias y las hormonas. Las bacterias intestinales saludables producen sustancias que ayudan a proteger el cerebro y a regular la inflamación. Cuando se altera este equilibrio, la inflamación puede aumentar y ejercer presión sobre el cerebro. La salud intestinal puede ser especialmente importante en ciertas etapas de la vida, incluido el desarrollo temprano, la adolescencia y la vejez, cuando los cambios en las bacterias intestinales pueden tener efectos duraderos en la salud cerebral. En la vejez, se ha relacionado la alteración de los microbios intestinales con afecciones como el Alzheimer y el Parkinson.

Obesidad: El exceso de peso corporal puede ser perjudicial para la salud general y es un factor de riesgo importante para la salud cerebral durante toda la vida. La obesidad (sitio web en inglés) puede aumentar la inflamación, alterar las hormonas y dañar los vasos sanguíneos, lo que, con el tiempo, puede perjudicar la estructura cerebral y la función cognitiva en todas las etapas de la vida.

Sueño: Un sueño saludable (sitio web en inglés) es fundamental para mantener el cerebro equilibrado y con un buen funcionamiento a cualquier edad. En algunas investigaciones se ha descrito el sueño como una inversión en la salud cerebral que se va consolidando con el tiempo. En los niños, el sueño favorece el desarrollo del cerebro y la formación de la memoria a largo plazo. En los adolescentes y los adultos, un sueño constante y de alta calidad favorece la memoria, la atención, la toma de decisiones, el rendimiento laboral y la salud física y mental a largo plazo, lo que lo convierte en un componente fundamental para un desarrollo y un envejecimiento saludables. La falta de sueño y los trastornos del sueño, como la apnea del sueño (sitio web en inglés), pueden aumentar la inflamación y elevar el riesgo de pérdida de memoria y deterioro cognitivo.

Factores sociales que influyen en la salud: Las investigaciones actuales confirman que un nivel socioeconómico más bajo, lo que incluye menos años de educación e ingresos más bajos, está relacionado con un mayor riesgo de padecer afecciones de salud como la diabetes tipo 2 (sitio web en inglés) y la presión arterial alta (sitio web en inglés), las cuales pueden causar pérdida de memoria, deterioro cognitivo y demencia. El acceso limitado a alimentos saludables, cuidados de salud y vivienda estable también puede aumentar el riesgo de deterioro cognitivo con el tiempo.

Exposiciones ambientales: Las investigaciones actuales indican que la exposición a la contaminación del aire, los metales pesados, los microplásticos y otros contaminantes ambientales, como las partículas procedentes de los incendios forestales, puede dañar lentamente el cerebro, ya que desencadena inflamación, ejerce presión en las células cerebrales y daña los vasos sanguíneos que le suministran sangre. Con el tiempo, esto dificulta la reparación del daño y puede aumentar el riesgo de pérdida de memoria, demencia y ataque o derrame cerebral.

¿De qué maneras se puede mejorar la salud cerebral?

“En conjunto, las pruebas demuestran que la salud cerebral se va forjando durante toda la vida y que los hábitos de vida saludables pueden marcar la diferencia. Abordar factores modificables como la salud mental, las exposiciones ambientales, el sueño y las condiciones sociales puede favorecer el desarrollo cerebral y un envejecimiento saludable”, indicó Marsh.

Las investigaciones indican que los hábitos de vida saludables, como los descritos en los Life’s Essential 8 (sitio web en inglés) de la American Heart Association, pueden favorecer la salud cerebral. Realizar actividad física con regularidad, controlar la presión arterial y el colesterol, practicar hábitos de sueño saludables, evitar el tabaquismo y manejar el estrés han demostrado beneficios continuos. Los patrones de alimentación saludables (sitio web en inglés), como los detallados en la Guía alimentaria del 2026 (sitio web en inglés) de la Asociación, también son un factor clave para moldear la salud intestinal y cerebral. Seguir una dieta de estilo mediterráneo y consumir alimentos ricos en fibra, de origen vegetal y alimentos fermentados, como el yogur y el kéfir, refuerza las bacterias intestinales beneficiosas, mientras que las dietas con alto contenido de alimentos procesados y azúcares añadidos pueden alterar la microbiota intestinal. Evitar el consumo excesivo de alcohol (sitio web en inglés) o de sustancias, aumentar el apoyo social y reducir el estrés financiero también pueden mejorar la salud mental.

¿Qué deben hacer los profesionales de la salud y otros líderes para promover la salud cerebral?

En la declaración se insta a los profesionales de la salud y a los legisladores a proteger y promover una salud cerebral óptima desde antes del nacimiento hasta la edad adulta en todas las comunidades. Dar prioridad a las evaluaciones y el apoyo en materia de salud mental, así como ampliar el acceso a cuidados de salud oportunos y eficaces que respalde los Life’s Essential 8, puede ayudar a mejorar la salud cerebral durante toda la vida. Se necesita más investigación para comprender qué enfoques pueden funcionar mejor en las diferentes comunidades.

Para hacer frente a la creciente carga que supone el deterioro cognitivo relacionado con la edad, la American Heath Association y el Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group crearon la iniciativa AHA-Allen sobre salud cerebral y deterioro cognitivo (sitio web en inglés). Las dos organizaciones, junto con otros colaboradores, han destinado más de $43 millones a la investigación para avanzar en la comprensión de la salud cerebral y mejorar la vida de las personas. Puede encontrar más información sobre las adjudicaciones otorgadas para financiar la investigación en salud cerebral aquí (sitio web en inglés). Además, la Red de Investigación Estratégica sobre Inflamación en Enfermedades Cardíacas y Neurovasculares (sitio web en inglés) de la Asociación otorgó $15 millones a investigadores para estudiar el impacto de la inflamación en la salud del corazón y el cerebro.

“La salud cerebral es un proceso que dura toda la vida, en el que influyen nuestro bienestar mental, el entorno y las elecciones de estilo de vida desde la infancia hasta la edad adulta tardía”, explica Mitchell Elkind, M.D., M.S., FAHA, director científico de Salud Cerebral y Ataques o Derrames Cerebrales de la American Heart Association y expresidente voluntario de la Asociación (2020-2021). “Esta declaración científica llega en un momento oportuno, justo cuando la American Heart Association está ampliando su enfoque, investigación y programación en materia de salud cerebral. Los emocionantes avances científicos en esta área nos recuerdan que cada etapa de la vida ofrece una nueva oportunidad para cuidar nuestro cerebro y nuestra mente, lo que favorece un envejecimiento más saludable y reduce el riesgo de deterioro cognitivo, demencia, ataques o derrames cerebrales, depresión y otros trastornos cerebrales”.

El grupo de redacción voluntario preparó esta declaración científica en nombre del Consejo de Ataques o Derrames Cerebrales, el Consejo de Enfermería de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares y Ataques o Derrames Cerebrales, el Consejo de Cirugía Cardiovascular y Anestesia y el Consejo de Cardiología Clínica de la American Heart Association. Las declaraciones científicas de la American Heart Association promueven una mayor conciencia sobre los problemas causados por las enfermedades cardiovasculares y los ataques o derrames cerebrales, y ayudan a facilitar las decisiones fundamentadas sobre los cuidados de salud. En las declaraciones científicas, se describe lo que se conoce actualmente sobre un tema y las áreas que necesitan investigación adicional. Si bien en las declaraciones científicas se informa el desarrollo de las pautas, no constituyen recomendaciones de tratamiento. Las pautas de la American Heart Association proporcionan las recomendaciones oficiales de la práctica clínica de la Asociación.

Los coautores son la vicepresidenta Helen Lavretsky, M.D., M.S.; Nadine Kasparian, Ph.D.; Nancy Pike, Ph.D., R.N., FAHA; Kristian Doyle, Ph.D.; Neelum Aggarwal, M.D.; Heather Fullerton, M.D., M.A.S.; Autumn Ivy, M.D., Ph.D.; y Nomazulu Dlamini, M.B.B.S, M.Sc., Ph.D, FAHA. Las declaraciones de los autores se encuentran en el artículo.

Recursos adicionales:

Los recursos multimedia disponibles se encuentran en la columna derecha del vínculo de la publicación.
Después del 28 de abril del 2026, consulte el artículo (sitio web en inglés) en línea.
Comunicado de prensa en inglés
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Dos científicos recibirán becas Ralph L. Sacco del 2026 para la salud cerebral (sitio web en inglés) (abril del 2026)
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: ¿Qué entendemos por “salud cerebral” y por qué debería importar? (sitio web en inglés) (marzo del 2025)
Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: La insuficiencia cardíaca, la fibrilación auricular y la enfermedad coronaria están relacionadas con el deterioro cognitivo (sitio web en inglés) (octubre del 2024)
Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: El deterioro cognitivo tras un ataque o derrame cerebral es frecuente, por lo que es necesario un diagnóstico y un tratamiento tempranos (sitio web en inglés) (mayo del 2023)
Declaración científica de la American Heart Association: Una agenda de atención primaria para la salud cerebral (sitio web en inglés) (marzo del 2021)
Comunicado de prensa de la declaración científica de la American Heart Association: La salud mental es importante para la salud general, la prevención y el tratamiento de las enfermedades cardíacas (sitio web en inglés) (enero del 2021)
Infografía de salud de la American Heart Association: Salud cerebral y envejecimiento saludable (sitio web en inglés)
Siga las noticias de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association en X en @HeartNews (sitio web en inglés).
Siga las noticias de Stroke, la revista médica de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, @StrokeAHA_ASA (sitio web en inglés)

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Acerca de la American Heart Association

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación: 214-706-1173

Amanda Ebert: Amanda.Ebert@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sitio web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

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Alrededor de medio millón de veteranos estadounidenses del período posterior al 11-S sufr��an de presión arterial alta

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Puntos destacados de la investigación:

Alrededor de medio millón de veteranos estadounidenses, quienes en promedio tenían aproximadamente 33 años al momento del estudio, tenían presión arterial alta, según un nuevo análisis.
Entre este grupo, los veteranos hombres y de raza negra tenían más probabilidades de sufrir de presión arterial alta.
Y, aunque las mujeres eran menos propensas a sufrir esta afección, cuando la presentaban, era más probable que no estuviera diagnosticada.
Los veteranos hispanos tenían más probabilidades de tener presión arterial alta sin diagnosticar.

Prohibida su divulgación hasta las 4 a. m., hora central/5 a. m., hora del este, miércoles 22 de abril de 2026

DALLAS, 22 de abril de 2026 — Alrededor de medio millón de veteranos estadounidenses del período posterior al 11-S que prestaron servicio en las fuerzas armadas tenían presión arterial alta y, entre ellos, aproximadamente la mitad no recibió un diagnóstico y un tercio no recibió tratamiento, de acuerdo con un nuevo estudio publicado hoy en la revista médica de la American Heart Association (sitio web en inglés), una revista de acceso abierto y revisada por pares de la American Heart Association.

Este estudio es uno de los primeros en examinar la presión arterial alta en veteranos estadounidenses más jóvenes del período posterior al 11-S, quienes tenían en promedio 33 años al momento de acceder a la atención en la Veterans Health Administration (Administración de Salud de Veteranos).

“La prevención, el manejo y el control de la presión arterial alta son esenciales para proteger la salud cardiovascular de todos los adultos, incluidos los adultos jóvenes y aquellos con mayor riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular”, señaló la autora principal del estudio, Tiffany Chang, Ph.D., epidemióloga de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC) de EE. UU. en Atlanta. “Los veteranos presentan mayores tasas de ciertos factores de riesgo, como trastorno de estrés postraumático y exposición directa al combate, que pueden contribuir a un mayor riesgo de presión arterial alta, en comparación con los no veteranos. La prevención y el manejo tempranos de la presión arterial alta son fundamentales para reducir el riesgo de enfermedades cardíacas y ataque o derrame cerebral, y mejorar los resultados de salud a largo plazo”.

Los investigadores utilizaron registros médicos electrónicos de la Veterans Health Administration para examinar datos de más de un millón de veteranos estadounidenses del período posterior al 11-S, quienes tenían en promedio 33 años. A través de mediciones de presión arterial, diagnósticos médicos y datos de dispensación de medicamentos recetados, los investigadores identificaron a las personas que tenían presión arterial alta, presión arterial alta no diagnosticada y presión arterial alta no tratada.

Hallazgos del estudio:

Casi la mitad (45%) de los hombres y mujeres cumplieron con la definición clínica del estudio de presión arterial alta.
Los hombres tuvieron más probabilidades de tener presión arterial alta en comparación con las mujeres y, además, fueron significativamente más propensos a tener factores de riesgo como fumar en la actualidad o haberlo hecho en el pasado, consumir alcohol o drogas, tener obesidad y sufrir diabetes.
En comparación con los hombres, las mujeres tuvieron un 5% menos de probabilidades de tener presión arterial alta; sin embargo, aquellas que sufrieron la afección tuvieron un 17% más de probabilidades de que esta no fuera diagnosticada.
Los veteranos de raza negra tenían un 9% más de probabilidades de tener presión arterial alta en comparación con los veteranos de raza blanca. No obstante, los veteranos de raza negra tuvieron más consultas de atención primaria y fue menos probable que su presión arterial alta estuviera sin diagnosticar y sin tratamiento.
Los veteranos hispanos tenían un 5% más de probabilidades de tener presión arterial alta sin diagnosticar y un 7% más de probabilidades de tenerla sin tratamiento, en comparación con los veteranos de raza blanca.

“La elevada carga de presión arterial alta entre los veteranos más jóvenes destaca la importancia de las estrategias de prevención temprana, en especial para poblaciones con mayor riesgo como los veteranos de raza negra e hispanos”, señaló Chang. “Una prevención y un manejo más sólidos de la presión arterial alta en etapas más tempranas de la adultez pueden ayudar a reducir el riesgo de enfermedades cardíacas y ataque o derrame cerebral posteriormente en la vida”.

Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA, voluntario experto y expresidente de la American Heart Association, presidente del comité redactor de la Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults (Guía para la prevención, la detección, la evaluación y el tratamiento de la presión arterial alta en adultos) de la Asociación (sitio web en inglés), señaló: “Esto es más evidencia de que la presión arterial alta es un problema importante en los adultos jóvenes. Es preocupante que tantos de ellos no estuvieran diagnosticados ni tratados, aun cuando se atendían en el sistema de salud del Departamento de Asuntos de Veteranos. Si no se maneja de forma adecuada, muchos de estos adultos jóvenes presentarán enfermedades cardíacas, ataques o derrames cerebrales, demencia y enfermedad renal como consecuencia de su presión arterial alta”. Jones también es decano y profesor emérito de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad de Misisipi en Jackson, Misisipi, y no participó en este estudio.

Los investigadores indican que sus hallazgos también destacan la necesidad de contar con estrategias para promover un estilo de vida saludable para el corazón a partir de una temprana edad. La American Heart Association define la salud cardíaca óptima a través de sus métricas Life’s Essential 8™, cuatro conductas de salud (alimentarse mejor, realizar más actividad, dejar el tabaco y dormir de manera saludable) y cuatro factores de salud (mantener un peso saludable y controlar el colesterol, la presión arterial y el azúcar en sangre).

Según el American Heart Association’s 2026 Statistical Supplement (Suplemento estadístico de 2026 de la American Heart Association) (sitio web en inglés), entre 2021 y 2023, casi la mitad de las personas (47.3%) de Estados Unidos tenía presión arterial alta.

Detalles, antecedentes y diseño del estudio:

El grupo del estudio incluyó a 1,181,007 veteranos jóvenes del período posterior al 11-S. Su edad promedio fue de 33.5 años, y alrededor del 12% eran mujeres.
Los participantes del estudio recibieron atención médica a través de la Veterans Health Administration entre 2001 y 2023.
La presión arterial alta se definió mediante mediciones de presión arterial en consulta ambulatoria (≥140/90 mm Hg), códigos de diagnóstico médico documentados y dispensaciones de recetas de antihipertensivos.
Entre las personas con presión arterial alta, los investigadores identificaron además si los veteranos presentaban presión arterial alta no diagnosticada (aquellos sin diagnóstico documentado de presión arterial alta) y presión arterial alta no tratada (personas que no tenían dispensación de recetas de antihipertensivos).
En este análisis, se examinaron las diferencias en las mediciones de hipertensión por sexo, raza y etnia.

El estudio tiene varias limitaciones. Debido a que su naturaleza es observacional, puede identificar asociaciones entre distintos puntos de datos; sin embargo, no puede probar una relación directa de causa y efecto. Además, es posible que algunos casos de presión arterial alta se hayan pasado por alto o se hayan clasificado erróneamente. El estudio no incluyó registros de atención médica o recetas que los veteranos pudieran haber recibido fuera del sistema de la Veterans Health Administration.

Los coautores y las divulgaciones se indican en el artículo. Los CDC no recibieron financiamiento para este estudio.

Los estudios publicados en las revistas médicas científicas de la American Heart Association son revisados por expertos. Las afirmaciones y conclusiones en cada artículo son solo aquellas de los autores del estudio y no reflejan necesariamente la política ni la posición de la Asociación. La Asociación no ofrece ninguna declaración ni garantía de ningún tipo en cuanto a su exactitud o confiabilidad. La Asociación recibe más de un 85% de sus ingresos de fuentes que no son empresas. Estas fuentes incluyen contribuciones de particulares, fundaciones y sucesiones, así como rendimientos de inversiones. Los fabricantes y otras empresas también realizan donaciones a la Asociación. La Asociación tiene políticas estrictas para evitar que las donaciones influyan en el contenido científico y en las posturas de sus políticas. La información financiera general está disponible aquí (sitio web en inglés).

Recursos adicionales:

Los recursos multimedia se encuentran en la columna derecha del vínculo de la publicación.
Comunicado de prensa en inglés
Después del 22 de abril, consulta el artículo (sitio web en inglés) en línea.
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: African American veterans with PTSD had higher risk of re-hospitalization after stroke (Los veteranos afroamericanos con TEPT tenían mayor riesgo de rehospitalización luego de un ataque o derrame cerebral) (sitio web en inglés) (marzo de 2024).
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Research highlights the need to looker closer at CVD risk factors in military veterans (Una investigación destaca la necesidad de analizar en mayor profundidad los factores de riesgo de ECV en veteranos de las fuerzas armadas) (sitio web en inglés) (noviembre de 2021)
Información de salud de la American Heart Association: High Blood Pressure (Presión arterial alta)
Sigue las noticias de la American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (la Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral) en X en @HeartNews (sitio web en inglés)
Sigue las noticias de la revista médica Journal of the American Heart Association en @JAHA_AHA (sitio web en inglés).

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Acerca de la American Heart Association

La American Heart Association es una fuerza incansable para un mundo de vidas más largas y saludables. La organización ha sido una fuente líder de información sobre salud durante más de cien años y su objetivo es garantizar la equidad en la salud en todas las comunidades. Con el apoyo de más de 35 millones de voluntarios en todo el mundo, financiamos investigaciones vanguardistas, defendemos la salud pública y proporcionamos recursos fundamentales para salvar y mejorar vidas afectadas por enfermedades cardiovasculares y ataques o derrames cerebrales. Trabajamos incansablemente para hacer avanzar la salud y transformar vidas cada día mediante el impulso de avances y la iplementación de soluciones comprobadas en las áreas de ciencia, políticas y cuidados. Comunícate con nosotros mediante heart.org (sitio web en inglés), Facebook o X, o llama al 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Para consultas de los medios de comunicación o el punto de vista experto de la American Heart Association: 214-706-1173

Bridgette McNeill: Bridgette.McNeill@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sitio web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

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Approximately half a million post-9/11 U.S. veterans had high blood pressure

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

About half a million U.S. veterans, who were an average age of about 33 years at the time of the study, had high blood pressure, according to a new analysis.
Among this group, men and Black veterans were more likely to have high blood pressure.
Women were less likely to have high blood pressure; however, their high blood pressure was more likely to be undiagnosed.
Hispanic veterans were more likely to be undiagnosed with high blood pressure.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, April 22, 2026

DALLAS, April 22, 2026 – Approximately half a million post-9/11 U.S. veterans who served in the military have had high blood pressure, and among them, about half were undiagnosed and one quarter were untreated, according to a new study published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

This study is among the first to examine high blood pressure in younger post-9/11 U.S. veterans who were, on average, 33 years old when accessing care at the Veterans Health Administration.

“Preventing, managing and controlling high blood pressure are essential for protecting cardiovascular health in all adults, including younger adults and those at increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” said lead study author Tiffany Chang, Ph.D., an epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. “Veterans have higher rates of certain risk factors, such as posttraumatic stress disorder and direct combat exposure, that may contribute to an increased risk of high blood pressure compared to non-veterans. Earlier prevention and management of high blood pressure are key to reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke and improving long-term health outcomes.”

Researchers used electronic health records from the Veterans Health Administration to examine data from over one million post-9/11 U.S. veterans, who were an average age of 33 years. Using blood pressure measurements, medical diagnoses and prescription medication fill data, researchers identified individuals who had high blood pressure, undiagnosed high blood pressure and untreated high blood pressure.

Study findings:

Nearly half (45%) of men and women veterans met the study’s clinical definition of high blood pressure.
Men were more likely to have high blood pressure compared with women and were also significantly more likely to have risk factors such as being a current or past smoker, alcohol or drug use, obesity and diabetes.
Compared with men, women were 5% less likely to have high blood pressure, however, those who did were 17% more likely to be undiagnosed.
Black veterans were 9% more likely to have high blood pressure compared with white veterans. However, Black veterans had more primary care visits and were less likely to have their high blood pressure be undiagnosed and untreated.
Hispanic veterans were 5% more likely to have undiagnosed high blood pressure and 7% more likely to have untreated high blood pressure, compared with white veterans.

“The high burden of high blood pressure among younger veterans highlights the importance of early prevention strategies, especially for higher-risk populations such as Black and Hispanic veterans,” Chang said. “Stronger prevention and management of high blood pressure earlier in adulthood can help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke later in life.”

Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA, American Heart Association volunteer expert and past president of the Association, chair of the writing committee for the Association’s Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults said, “This is more evidence that high blood pressure is an important issue in young adults. It’s disturbing that so many of these were undiagnosed and untreated, even though they were being seen in the VA health system. If not managed appropriately, many of these young adults will experience heart disease, stroke, dementia and kidney disease as a result of their high blood pressure.” Jones is also dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, Mississippi and was not involved in this study.

The researchers say their findings also highlight the need for strategies that promote a heart-healthy lifestyle starting at a young age. The American Heart Association defines optimal heart health through its Life’s Essential 8™ metrics — four health behaviors (eat better, be more active, quit tobacco and get healthy sleep) and four health factors (healthy weight and manage cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar).

The American Heart Association’s 2026 Statistical Supplement reports that between 2021 and 2023, almost half of all people (47.3%) in the U.S. had high blood pressure.

Study details, background and design:

The study group included 1,181,007 post-9/11 younger veterans. Their average age was 33.5 years; and about 12% were women.
Study participants received medical care through the Veterans Health Administration between 2001 and 2023.
High blood pressure was defined using outpatient blood pressure measurements (≥140/90 mm Hg), documented medical diagnosis codes and prescription fills for blood pressure-lowering medications.
Among individuals with high blood pressure, researchers further identified if veterans had undiagnosed high blood pressure (those without a documented diagnosis of high blood pressure) and untreated high blood pressure (individuals who did not have a prescription fill for a blood pressure-lowering medication).
The analysis examined differences in hypertension measures by sex, race and ethnicity.

The study has several limitations. Because it is observational, it can identify associations between different data points; however, it cannot prove direct cause and effect. Additionally, some cases of high blood pressure may have been missed or misclassified. The study did not include records of medical care or prescriptions that veterans may have received outside the Veterans Health Administration system.

Co-authors and disclosures are listed in the manuscript. The CDC received no funding for this study.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
Spanish news release
After April 22, view the manuscript online.
American Heart Association news release: African American veterans with PTSD had higher risk of re-hospitalization after stroke (March 2024)
American Heart Association news release: Research highlights the need to looker closer at CVD risk factors in military veterans (Nov. 2021)
American Heart Association health information: High Blood Pressure
Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

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About the American Heart Association

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Bridgette McNeill: Bridgette.McNeill@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Premature placental separation may increase the child’s risk of heart disease by age 28

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

People born to mothers where the birth included a placental abruption (placenta separates from the uterus before delivery) may have a higher risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease than those whose birth did not have this complication.
People born to mothers who had a placental abruption are about three times more likely to be hospitalized for cardiovascular disease by the age of 28, and about 4.6 times as likely to die from a cardiovascular event in that timeframe, compared to people born to mothers with pregnancies that were not complicated by placental abruption.
Researchers say that placental abruption is a serious and underappreciated pregnancy complication, and children born to mothers who had this issue should be monitored for heart and stroke-related conditions as they grow up.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, March 25, 2026

DALLAS, March 25, 2026 — The risk of developing early cardiovascular disease or dying from cardiovascular disease by the age of 28 was about 4.6 times higher among people born to mothers who had a placental abruption during their pregnancy. This finding was compared to people whose birth did not have this complication, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Placental abruption occurs when the placenta separates from the uterus before birth rather than after delivery, and this can lead to severe hemorrhaging or other serious complications for the mother and baby. According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, most studies have reported an incidence of 0.5% to 1% for placental abruption in the general population.

“Our study suggests that placental abruption needs to be taken as a very serious complication for the mother and also potentially affecting the baby’s cardiovascular health later in life,” said study lead author Cande Ananth, Ph.D., M.P.H., chief of the division of epidemiology and biostatistics in the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey. “Most treatments after a placental abruption focus on following the mother after a pregnancy complication. Our study shows it is important that their children are also monitored to identify potential complications due to their increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Having cardio-obstetrics working together with pediatric programs in medical schools and hospitals will be important to provide support and monitor the health of these mothers after delivery and their babies as they grow up.”

This study examined whether a mother’s placental abruption may be linked to the child’s risk of heart and stroke conditions and death from heart disease and stroke over about three decades.

The study reported that:

Out of nearly 3 million pregnancies, approximately 1% (n = 28,641) were affected by placental abruption.
During a 28-year follow-up period, children born to mothers who had a placental abruption during the pregnancy were 4.6 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than children born to mothers who experienced a normal placental separation from the uterus after delivery.
Children born to mothers who had a placental abruption faced nearly three times higher risk of being hospitalized for heart-related complications during the next 28 years. These conditions included heart failure, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, blocked arteries and general cardiovascular disease.
The children’s risk of stroke hospitalization was 2.4 times higher than for children whose mothers did not have a placental abruption.
These heart disease and stroke risks associated with abruption were even higher among children younger than 1 year old.

The association between placental abruption and increased cardiovascular risk remained similar after conducting an additional analysis contrasting cardiovascular disease risks between biological siblings (each mother served as their own control), suggesting that genetic and environmental factors did not explain this relationship.

“Placental abruption is a sudden and often catastrophic event that cannot be prevented and comes with no warning. Older women or those expecting more than one baby, such as twins or triplets, have an increased risk of developing this condition. Health care professionals should support patients in maintaining a healthy lifestyle to protect their own health and their baby’s. Avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs (particularly, cocaine) and maintaining good blood pressure control are also important, as they are linked to placental abruption,” Ananth said.

“We know that women who have complications during pregnancy are often at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, and that’s why the American Heart Association recommends closely monitoring these women, especially in the first three months to a year after birth,” said Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, volunteer president of the American Heart Association. “The findings of this study reinforce that it is also important to monitor their babies for risks and identify opportunities to reduce the potential impact these complications may have on them not only right after birth, but throughout their lifetime.” Rosen, who was not involved in this study, is also executive director of the Katz Institute for Women’s Health and senior vice president of women’s health at Northwell Health in New York City.

More research is needed to understand how placental abruption affects heart health in the children born from those pregnancies, according to the study authors. This study is among the first to find a link between cardiovascular risk in kids born to mothers with placental abruption. However, the findings are limited because the study is an analysis of hospital and death records; therefore, researchers cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Study details, background and design:

This analysis is a study that looks back at past data. Researchers reviewed data from the Placental Abruption and Cardiovascular Event Risk (PACER) project, along with hospitalization and mortality records, to analyze roughly 3 million births in New Jersey from 1993 to 2020, focusing on mothers who had a placental abruption during pregnancy and the babies born to those pregnancies. This study focuses solely on single-baby births.
Out of 2,949,992 pregnancies in the analysis, 1% (28,641 pregnancies) experienced placental abruption.
The researchers followed the offspring for up to 28 years after their birth, reviewing hospital records and mortality records from the birth of the offspring to nonfatal cardiovascular-related hospitalization; birth to death from any cause; and nonfatal cardiovascular hospitalization to death from any cause.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the manuscript.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

Multimedia is available on the right column of release link.
After March 25, view the manuscript online.
American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Prevention and Treatment of Maternal Stroke in Pregnancy and Postpartum (Jan. 2026)
American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Heart disease risk factors in women highlight need for increased awareness, prevention (Feb. 2024)
American Heart Association news release: Improving & maintaining heart health after pregnancy may reduce the risk of future CVD (March 2024)
American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Six pregnancy complications are among red flags for heart disease later in life (March 2021)
Pregnancy and Maternal Health Resources and Tools | Go Red for Women
Follow American Heart Association/American Stroke Association news on X @HeartNews
Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

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About the American Heart Association

For Media Inquiries and AHA/ASA Expert Perspective: 214-706-1173

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Higher blood pressure during young adulthood linked to heart & kidney disease after age 40

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

A study of nearly 300 thousand adults in South Korea found that individuals with higher blood pressure (≥120 mm Hg/80 mm Hg) for up to 10 years during young adulthood (ages 30 and 40 were more likely to develop heart disease and kidney disease after age 40.
Having a systolic (top number) blood pressure that remained about 10 mm Hg higher than peers for about 10 years was linked to a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease.
Maintaining optimal blood pressure (<120 mm Hg/80 mm Hg) is important at every age and life stage, and it is most beneficial to protect future heart and kidney health.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 11:30 a.m. ET/10:30 a.m. CT, Friday, March 20, 2026

BOSTON, March 20, 2026 — Higher blood pressure during young adulthood is likely linked to a higher risk of heart disease and kidney disease later in life, reinforcing the importance of maintaining healthy blood pressure at younger ages, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026. The meeting is in Boston, March 17-20, and offers the latest epidemiological science on prevention, lifestyle and cardiometabolic health.

“Young adults often have a very low predicted 10-year risk of heart disease, even when they have elevated or high blood pressure (a systolic blood pressure measure of 120 mm Hg or higher, or a diastolic blood pressure measure of 80 mm Hg or higher),” said Hokyou Lee, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, an associate professor of preventive medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea. “Our study’s findings show that blood pressure levels in early adulthood are important even if short-term risk appears low. Long-term exposure to higher blood pressure from early life may accumulate damage over time, increasing the risk of heart and kidney disease in midlife.”

According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, nearly half of U.S. adults are living with high blood pressure. It is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death in the U.S. and worldwide, and it’s the most common and most modifiable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Maintaining healthy blood pressure is critical to preventing or reducing the risk of heart disease, a major cardiac event or a stroke.

In this study, the researchers reviewed medical records from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database. Their analysis found:

Adults who had elevated or high blood pressure that stayed higher from age 30 to 40 had a higher risk of heart disease, stroke or kidney disease in midlife, after age 40.
Having a systolic (top number) blood pressure reading of about 10 mm Hg higher than peers for about 10 years was linked to a 27% higher risk of heart disease and a 22% higher risk of kidney disease.
Participants with a diastolic blood pressure (bottom number) about 5 mm Hg higher than their peers for about 10 years were linked to a 20% higher risk of heart disease and a 16% higher risk of kidney disease.
Compared with people in the group with the lowest 20% of cumulative blood pressure levels during young adulthood, those in the highest 20% of cumulative blood pressure levels were more likely to develop heart or kidney disease in midlife:
- People in the highest cumulative systolic blood pressure group were about 3.5 times more likely to develop heart conditions than those in the lowest cumulative systolic blood pressure group.
- The risk of kidney disease was about 3 times higher among people with the highest cumulative systolic blood pressure.
Results in this analysis were similar for men and women.

“Maintaining optimal blood pressure is a concern for every individual, at every age,” Lee said. “Early prevention, diagnosis, monitoring and treatment, if needed, are investments in future heart and kidney health. Timely treatment of elevated blood pressure is essential to reduce the effects of years of exposure, which underscores the importance of monitoring and managing blood pressure as soon as a patient has elevated blood pressure levels.”

The American Heart Association's 2025 High Blood Pressure Guideline recommends treatment of stage 1 hypertension (after 3-6 months of lifestyle modification) in adults with low predicted 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease.

“This study from Korea emphasizes the risk from high blood pressure begins at an early age and early in the course,” said Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA, an American Heart Association volunteer expert and chair of the writing committee for the Association’s Guideline for the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of High Blood Pressure in Adults. “The opportunity in this study to evaluate cumulative blood pressure over several years was important in understanding that risk. The study should encourage the design of randomized clinical trials to document that early treatment of high blood pressure in young adults is effective at reducing risk for cardiovascular and kidney disease.” Jones, who was not involved in this study, is a past volunteer president of the Association and dean and professor emeritus of the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in Jackson, Mississippi.

Study details, background and design:

The analysis included health information for 291,887 adults from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, who were 30 years old in 2002-2004 and received routine health screenings between age 30 (2002-2004) and 40 (2012-2014).
Participants included in the analysis had no prior history of heart or kidney disease before age 40; 76.3% were men.
The analysis included those who had three or more health examination records with blood pressure measurements taken by health care professionals at the following time periods: at age 30 (2002-2004); at age 40 (2012-2014); and one or more blood pressure measurements taken in between those periods. The median number of blood pressure measurements for each participant was eight.
Each participant’s cumulative blood pressure levels from age 30 to 40 were calculated to account for both how high it was and how long it stayed elevated.
Participants were followed for about 10 years after age 40, during which development of heart or kidney disease was identified through national health service records. In addition, diagnosis of chronic kidney disease was confirmed by laboratory tests conducted during the follow-up period.
Deaths from heart or kidney disease after age 40 were identified in the national death records.
Major health and lifestyle factors, such as sex, income, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity and key health measures, including blood sugar and cholesterol levels, were factored into the analysis.

An important note about the study is that participants received care through the National Health Insurance System in South Korea, a universal health care system for all of its citizens with government-set, standardized pricing for all health care, screening, treatments and medications.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of studies that are presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. Abstracts presented at the Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, rather, they are curated by independent review panels and are considered based on the potential to add to the diversity of scientific issues and views discussed at the meeting. The findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

The Association receives more than 85% of its revenue from sources other than corporations. These sources include contributions from individuals, foundations and estates, as well as investment earnings and revenue from the sale of our educational materials. Corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations to the Association. The Association has strict policies to prevent any donations from influencing its science content and policy positions. Overall financial information is available here.

Additional Resources:

A video interview with Daniel W. Jones, M.D., M.A.C.P., FAHA and other multimedia are available on the right column of the release link.
After March 20, view abstract 61 in the EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 Online Program Planner
American Heart Association news release: Millions are unaware of heart risks that don’t start in the heart (Feb. 2026)
American Heart Association Guideline news release: New high blood pressure guideline emphasizes prevention, early treatment to reduce CVD risk (Aug. 2025)
American Heart Association health information: What is high blood pressure?
American Heart Association health information: Find high blood pressure tools and resources
For more news from EPI|LIFESTYLE 2026 Scientific Sessions, follow us on X @HeartNews, #EPILifestyle26.

The American Heart Association’s EPI|LIFESTYLE Scientific Sessions is the world’s premier meeting dedicated to the latest advances in population-based science. The meeting is Tuesday-Friday, March 17-20, 2026, in Boston. The primary goal of the meeting is to promote the development and application of translational and population science to prevent heart disease and stroke and foster cardiovascular health. The sessions focus on risk factors, obesity, nutrition, physical activity, genetics, metabolism, biomarkers, subclinical disease, clinical disease, healthy populations, global health and prevention-oriented clinical trials. The Councils on Epidemiology and Prevention and Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health (Lifestyle) jointly planned the EPI|Lifestyle 2026 Scientific Sessions. Follow the conference on X at #EPILifestyle26.

About the American Heart Association

###

For Media Inquiries and American Heart Association Expert Perspective:

AHA Communications & Media Relations in Dallas: 214-706-1173; ahacommunications@heart.org

Michelle Kirkwood: Michelle.Kirkwood@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Protein buildup in brain blood vessels linked with increased 5-year risk of dementia

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a condition caused by the buildup of amyloid (proteins) in brain blood vessels, was associated with increased risk of developing dementia within 5 years, in a study of nearly 2 million adults in the U.S. with health insurance coverage through Medicare.
There was a strong association between blood vessel protein buildup and increased dementia risk for all study participants with or without a history of stroke.
Researchers say these findings highlight the need to proactively screen for cognitive changes after a diagnosis of cerebral amyloid angiopathy to help prevent further cognitive decline.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) is a condition where protein (called amyloid) builds up in the brain, making blood vessels weak. People with CAA are four times more likely to develop dementia within five years, regardless of whether they have had a stroke, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier global event dedicated to advancing stroke and brain health science.

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) can lead to hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding stroke) and raises the risk of ischemic stroke (clot-caused stroke). As people age, some amyloid protein can collect in the brain’s blood vessels without causing symptoms. People receive a clinical diagnosis of CAA when the buildup becomes significant enough to damage the vessels and affect brain function. In some severe cases, the protein deposits can cause the walls of blood vessels to crack. This can lead to blood leaking out and damaging the brain, and this damage is known as a bleeding or hemorrhagic stroke. CAA also contributes to cognitive impairment and is often found in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. This study investigated the risk of developing dementia among adults diagnosed with CAA, the link between CAA and stroke and the risk of dementia.

“Many people with CAA develop dementia; however, so far, clinicians haven’t had clear, large-scale estimates on how often and how quickly dementia progresses in these patients,” said study author Samuel S. Bruce, M.D., M.A., an assistant professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

“Our study calculated estimates from a large sample of Medicare patients whether people with CAA are more likely to be newly diagnosed with dementia and to clarify how CAA and stroke — separately and together — relate to new dementia diagnoses.”

Researchers analyzed the health information for more than 1.9 million adults covered by Medicare, ages 65 and older, from 2016 to 2022. They reviewed newly diagnosed dementia cases and how ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are related to dementia risk in people with CAA. Patients were tracked through health changes — no CAA or stroke, CAA only, stroke only, both CAA and stroke — over time. By observing health status over time, the researchers could see how much time each patient spent in each state and pinpoint the onset of dementia, Bruce explained.

They found that CAA greatly increased the risk of developing dementia within the 5-year estimate, even more than the effects of stroke.

The analysis found:

The risk of being diagnosed with dementia within five years of CAA diagnosis was about four times higher in people with CAA versus people without CAA (42% vs. 10%, respectively).
People with CAA and stroke were 4.5 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia at any given time point, compared to adults with neither CAA nor stroke.
People with CAA without stroke were 4.3 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia at any given time point, compared to patients with neither CAA nor stroke.
Adults with only stroke without CAA were 2.4 times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia at any given time point, compared to patients with neither CAA nor stroke.

“What stood out was that the risk of developing dementia among those with CAA without stroke was similar to those with CAA with stroke, and both conditions had a higher increase in the incidence of dementia when compared to participants with stroke alone. This suggests that non-stroke-related mechanisms are instrumental to dementia risk in CAA,” Bruce said. “These results highlight the need to proactively screen for cognitive changes after a diagnosis of CAA and address risk factors to prevent further cognitive decline.”

According to Steven M. Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, former chair of the International Stroke Conference and author of the commentary, Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy | Stroke, “Diseases of the brain’s small blood vessels are major contributors to dementia. This is especially true for CAA, which often occurs together with Alzheimer’s disease, making for a potent 1-2 punch. We know there is risk for dementia after any type of stroke, but these results suggest even greater risk for CAA patients.” Greenberg is also a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School in Boston and was not involved in this study.

Study limitations included that researchers obtained clinical study information from administrative diagnosis codes used in inpatient and outpatient health insurance claims submitted to Medicare. “These codes are an imperfect proxy for clinical diagnoses, and misclassifications can occur,” Bruce said. Researchers tried to mitigate the limitation by using codes that have been shown to accurately capture correct diagnoses in administrative data. They also did not have access to imaging data to more rigorously assess the diagnoses of CAA and stroke.

Further research is needed to confirm these results, especially with prospective studies that follow patients forward (instead of looking back in time). Those studies should include standardized approaches for diagnosing CAA and stroke.

Study details, background and design:

This retrospective study, which examined past data, included information from both inpatient and outpatient health claims for 1,909,365 adults in the U.S. covered by Medicare. Of those, 752 (0.04%) received a CAA diagnosis during the study period.
Participants were age 65 and older, with an average age of 73 years; 54% were women and 46% were men. The participants were 82.4% white adults, 7.3% Black adults, and 10.3% were individuals from other racial groups.
The study used data collected by Medicare on health insurance claims submitted by professionals and hospitals in the course of clinical care. Researchers had access to multiple years of data, from 2016 to 2022.

Co-authors, funding and disclosures are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Steven M. Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Stroke Association health information: Uncommon Causes of Stroke
American Stroke Association news release: Risk of dementia was nearly three times higher the first year after a stroke (Feb. 2024)
American Heart Association news release: Cognitive impairment after stroke is common, and early diagnosis and treatment needed (May 2023)
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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New app to detect social interactions after stroke may help improve treatment, recovery

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

A smartwatch used a machine learning algorithm to detect social interactions through sounds in the environment. This technology was able to measure how much social interaction occurred among stroke survivors in the hospital.
Social interaction is known to support brain health and recovery after neurological injury; so, this technology could support strategies focused on strengthening social ties, which, in turn, may lead to improved physical recovery and quality of life, even among stroke survivors with language difficulties.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

The news release contains updated information not included in the abstract.

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — A smartwatch app designed to measure social interactions of hospitalized stroke survivors may enable new treatments to preserve or enhance cognition, social engagement and quality of life after a stroke, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier global event dedicated to advancing stroke and brain health science.

Researchers developed a machine learning app called SocialBit, which is compatible with Android smartwatches, and can identify social interactions in both people with and without neurological conditions. The researchers noted that other devices to track social interactions are focused on people without disabilities. SocialBit is currently only available for use in research projects.

According to the American Stroke Association, the loss or change in speech (dysarthria) and language (aphasia) profoundly alters the social life of stroke survivors. Yet, research has shown that socializing is one of the best ways to maximize recovery after a stroke.

“My previous research has demonstrated that stroke survivors who are socially isolated or have a smaller circle of friends and family have worse physical outcomes at 3 and 6 months after a stroke,” said study lead author Amar Dhand, M.D., D.Phil., an associate professor of neurology in the division of stroke and cerebrovascular disorders in the department of neurology at Mass General Brigham in Boston. “We created a tracker of social life customized for stroke survivors. Tracking human engagement is crucial, and social isolation can now be identified in real-world situations. This may be addressed by notifying the patient, family members, caregivers and health care professionals of social isolation.”

Researchers recruited 153 adults during their hospitalization for an ischemic stroke.

Participants wore a smartwatch with the SocialBit app while they were in their hospital rooms, between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, for up to 8 days (some of which may have been after transfer to a rehabilitation hospital). The app logged the amount of socialization time according to acoustic patterns from the participant and/or another person talking, indicating social engagement. During the same timeframe, members of the research team watched a livestream video of the participants and logged the same minute-by-minute social interactions of the participants with others.

The researchers found:

Compared with human observers, SocialBit was 94% as accurate in recognizing social interactions.
In patients with aphasia, SocialBit maintained accuracy at 93%.
SocialBit’s performance remained consistent despite TV noise, side conversations, different environments (rehabilitation unit versus hospital) and across various Android smartwatch models.
Participants who had a more severe stroke had less social interaction, with about a 1% drop in total social interaction minutes for each 1-point increase in the NIH Stroke Scale, a standardized tool used to assess the severity of a stroke.

“I was surprised by how well the app performed for people with aphasia. We used SocialBit to capture sounds instead of words to protect privacy, and this feature ended up being helpful for people with limited language skills,” Dhand said.

“The SocialBit app may also help people recover from brain injuries. It can support therapies like speech, occupational and exercise therapy,” he said.

Future research could use SocialBit to measure how many people are at risk for social isolation while in the hospital and after they leave. It could also explore how this isolation is related to depression and other mental health changes that can happen after a stroke.

“We can also test if this app can help with other brain injuries and in healthy aging to keep and improve brain health over time,” Dhand said.

One limitation of the study was that the detailed evaluations of social interactions were only tested in hospital or rehabilitation settings.

Chair of the American Heart Association Stroke Council and chair of the writing group for the Association’s 2024 Guideline for the Primary Prevention of Stroke Cheryl Bushnell, M.D., M.H.S., FAHA, said, “This research is fascinating in its capture of social interactions, which I presume can distinguish between conversations from case managers, nurses, therapists and the care team from non-hospital personnel. If not, then the amount of social interaction could be dependent on the size of the care team (academic teams have more staff, and trainees spend more time in the patient’s room), or the nurse-to-patient ratio. If the app does distinguish hospital from non-hospital personnel, then distance from the hospital and the number of family and friends become major factors in the degree of social interaction. Regardless, there are multiple interesting ways this app could be used in future studies, including measures of quality of hospital care and social interactions at rehab facilities and nursing homes.” Bushnell is also a professor and director of the Center for Transformative Stroke Care in the department of neurology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and she was not involved in this study.

Study details, background and design:

153 adults (average age of 66 years, ranging from 26 to 94; 53% were men, 46% were women, 1% other) were hospitalized with ischemic stroke. Among all study participants, strokes were mild (median score of 2 on the NIH Stroke Scale), as was cognitive impairment (mean score of 23.6 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment).
Participants were hospitalized at Brigham and Women’s Hospital between June 2021 and March 2025 for the initial treatment of stroke. No participants were in the intensive care unit, where visitation was restricted. Some patients who stayed in the study were moved to Spaulding Rehabilitation Center during part of the assessment period.
Participants were not included in the study if they were receiving end-of-life care, had a prior diagnosis of dementia, or if they or their decision-maker could not speak or understand English well enough to complete surveys or confirm informed consent to participate in the study.
Between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily, participants wore a smartwatch equipped with the SocialBit algorithm. Using acoustic patterns indicating human speech, the device quantified the number of minutes per day participants engaged in social interaction with another human. These were compared with ratings from human observers monitoring livestream video during the same time periods.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Cheryl Bushnell, M.D., M.H.S., FAHA, and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Heart Association Scientific Statement news release: Equitable access to digital technologies may help improve cardiovascular health (April 2025)
American Heart Association news release: Research aims to harness technology for improved heart and brain health (Jan. 2024)
American Heart Association Scientific Statement news release: Social isolation and loneliness increase the risk of death from heart attack, stroke (Aug. 2022)
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Stroke survivors may be less lonely, have better recovery if they can share their feelings

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

Stroke survivors who felt they could not talk about their feelings or fears about their health with close friends or family reported feeling lonelier and had worse physical and mental recovery when assessed one year after the stroke.
Difficulty sharing their feelings with family/friends was as important as the severity of the stroke for identifying patients who would experience greater disability and poorer physical function one year after the stroke.
Supporting caregivers, family and health care professionals to provide a safe space that encourages stroke survivors to share their feelings and fears after having a stroke may enhance stroke recovery.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — Stroke survivors who were uncomfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings about their condition and future had slower physical and cognitive recovery after their stroke, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier global event dedicated to advancing stroke and brain health science.

“When trying to cope with major stress and trauma, a lot of people benefit from having a supportive social environment where they can talk about what they are going through,” said lead study author E. Alison Holman, Ph.D., a professor of nursing in the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing at the University of California Irvine. “However, when stroke survivors feel uncomfortable sharing their thoughts/feelings because they think talking about it will make others uncomfortable or that others won’t want to hear their concerns, these constraints on sharing can be harmful for their health.”

Researchers investigated whether social constraints on sharing feelings and emotions predicted loneliness and functional and cognitive disability one year after a stroke. The analysis included more than 700 participants in the STRONG (Stroke, sTress, RehabilitatiON, and Genetics) study, conducted at 28 U.S. sites. STRONG has already revealed that one-year recovery after a stroke is worse if there was a higher level of stress and trauma in a person’s life before their stroke, if they experienced post-traumatic stress symptoms while still hospitalized after the stroke or if they had certain genetic variations.

In the current study, researchers assessed participants’ perception of social constraints at 3 months after their stroke, after the initial healing period. Stroke survivors identified a person they regularly depend on, often a family member serving as a caregiver, and answered two questions about their interactions with this person: “In the past week, how often did you get the feeling that he or she didn’t want to hear about your feelings about your stroke or your fears about future health problems?”; and “How often have you felt as though you had to keep your feelings about your stroke or your fears about future health problems to yourself because they made him or her feel uncomfortable or upset?”

The analysis found that one year after the stroke, people who felt less able to openly share their feelings at 90 days were more likely to experience several challenges:

They felt lonelier, reporting they felt more left out, isolated or without companionship in the past week.
They had more difficulty with everyday activities, such as feeding or bathing (they needed more help overall).
They experienced greater problems with thinking skills, including memory, attention and language.

“The level of social constraint after 90 days was just as effective at predicting overall disability and physical function one year later as the initial severity of the stroke,” Holman said. “For many stroke-focused health care professionals, the severity of the stroke is the gold standard for understanding how well or poorly a person will be doing down the road.”

She encouraged other stroke researchers to inquire about what’s going on in patients’ social environment early after a stroke to understand if it may influence recovery and to provide support.

For caregivers, Holman encourages, “making room, a safe space, for people to talk about their stroke, let them talk about their feelings and what they’re going through so they can process what has happened and what’s going on. However, don’t try to force it because not everyone needs to verbalize their emotions. Providing a safe place for them to share, if needed, is the key.”

The researchers noted that if these results are confirmed in future studies, interventions could be designed to help stroke survivors face fewer social challenges.

American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Amytis Towfighi, M.D., FAHA, said, “While social support is increasingly recognized as beneficial after stroke, less is known about how social constraints affect recovery. This study is one of the first to assess their influence on long-term psychological, cognitive and functional outcomes. The findings offer valuable insights that can inform interventions to improve post-stroke recovery.” Towfighi is also a professor of neurology and population and public health sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and director, neurological services at the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.

Study details, background and design:

The study included 763 participants (average age of 63 years; 41.2% women; 69.4% self-reported white adults) who enrolled in the trial while hospitalized after a mild to moderate stroke.
Participants were part of the STRONG (Stroke, sTress, RehabilitatiON, and Genetics) study, which was a detailed multi-center study examining the first year of recovery after a stroke, conducted at 28 U.S. sites between 2016 and 2021.
Researchers assessed participants during their first hospitalization and again at 3-, 6- and 12-months post-stroke. At one year, physical and cognitive function were assessed using the modified Rankin Scale and the results of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment administered during a telephone call.
Loneliness was rated using three items from the UCLA Loneliness Scale. This was assessed at every follow-up, at 3, 6, and 12 months post-stroke. The UCLA Loneliness Scale rated patients’ level of loneliness on a 5-point scale from “never” to “all the time,” so higher scores mean more frequent feelings of being lonely.
At 90 days, the degree of discomfort expressed by the stroke survivors in relation to their concerns was rated using two items from the Social Constraints Scale.
After controlling for age, gender, race, stroke severity and stress 2-10 days after the stroke, researchers analyzed the association between more social constraints at 3 months with loneliness and recovery levels at one year.

Patient Perspective: Why social support matters after stroke

Dipika Aggarwal, a neurologist from Kansas City, Missouri, was living a full life when a stroke in 2019 turned everything upside down. At just 38, she went from thriving in her career to months in intensive rehab, followed by isolation during the COVID lockdown. “I lost my professional life, my engagement ended and there was no guarantee I’d ever work again,” she recalls. “My mental health got so bad that I started thinking about ending my life. I didn’t even realize I was experiencing post-stroke depression.”

Aggarwal says it took months before she felt comfortable talking about her stroke. When she finally opened up, first to family, then publicly on social media, it changed everything.

“Sharing my story helped me heal. It gave me hope to hear from others and feel less alone,” said Aggarwal, who now volunteers for the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. “The social, financial and psychological aspects of recovery are huge, and we don’t talk about them enough. My advice to other stroke survivors: don’t keep things hush-hush. Seek support, allow yourself to be vulnerable and connect with people who understand what you’re going through.”

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Amytis Towfighi, M.D., FAHA, and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
Spanish news release with video interview in Spanish.
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Heart Association Scientific Statement news release: Depression common following a stroke impacting 1/3 of survivors (Feb. 2023)
American Stroke Association health information: Life After Stroke
American Stroke Association health information: American Stroke Association Support Network
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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New risk assessment tool may help predict dementia after a stroke

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

A new risk prediction tool was able to accurately identify stroke survivors with the highest risk for developing dementia within a decade of having a stroke, according to a large study in Canada.
Factors linked with a higher risk of developing dementia after a stroke included being older, having any disability before the stroke, having a higher level of disability after the stroke, having an intracerebral hemorrhage (compared to an ischemic stroke), having diabetes, experiencing cognitive symptoms during hospitalization or suffering from depression.
Knowing the risk of developing dementia after a stroke can help researchers design better clinical trials and interventions. It can also guide the recruitment of patients who are eligible to participate in efforts to lower the risk of dementia.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — A new risk calculator accurately estimated the likelihood of adults developing dementia within ten years after a stroke, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

According to researchers, people with stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) are at high risk of subsequent dementia, but prediction tools for dementia are lacking.

“Our previous research found that about 1 in 3 adults developed dementia after stroke over the long-term. We created a new tool that can stratify people into five different levels of dementia risk after stroke based on underlying health, stroke characteristics and risk factors,” said lead study author Raed A. Joundi, M.D., D.Phil., M.Sc., an assistant professor in the department of medicine at McMaster University, a stroke neurologist at Hamilton Health Sciences, a scientist at the Population Health Research Institute, all in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and an adjunct scientist at ICES Central in Toronto (where the statistical analysis was done).

“The goal is to have a practical, bedside tool that can predict dementia risk after a stroke. Our tool predicts dementia rates that are very close to the observed rates and may help to enroll high-risk patients who have had transient ischemic attack, ischemic stroke or intracerebral hemorrhage in clinical trials that are focused on reducing the long-term risk of dementia.”

Researchers examined health records for nearly 50,000 adults hospitalized with stroke to create and validate a risk model to estimate which stroke survivors have the highest risk of developing dementia. The data from the Ontario Stroke Registry included hospital admissions due to stroke between 2002 and 2013 in Canada. Study participants drawn from the registry for derivation of the risk score included 7,554 adults with transient ischemic attack (TIA), 13,833 with ischemic stroke and 2,340 with intracerebral hemorrhage. The participants were discharged from the hospital without a diagnosis of dementia, and all were followed for a diagnosis of dementia through March 2024 (average of 7.5 years after stroke) based on administrative health data.

Researchers examined the rates of dementia calculated by the new tool and compared them to the observed rates of dementia. The score was derived in the Ontario Stroke Registry (11 regional stroke centers) and validated in the Ontario Stroke Audit, a separate, randomly selected sample of patients from all hospitals in the province.

The analysis found:

For people who had a transient ischemic attack, the top factors associated with increased dementia risk were older age, needing help with activities of daily living prior to TIA, having diabetes, depression, cognitive symptoms on presentation (such as memory, judgment or attention) and any disability at hospital discharge.
The main risk factors associated with developing dementia for people with stroke were being older, being female, having diabetes, depression, intracerebral hemorrhage (compared to ischemic stroke), cognitive symptoms during hospitalization or greater disability at hospital discharge.
The risk calculator used the top risk factors for dementia to categorize individuals into different levels of estimated risk over the next 10 years after a stroke. Those in the highest category of estimated risk had a 50% probability of dementia over 10 years, versus participants in the lowest category of risk who had a 5% probability of dementia.

The study authors note that the current focus of the dementia risk prediction tool is to stratify patients into different levels of risk for research studies and clinical trials of dementia prevention, rather than clinical decision-making or treatment.

“Dementia is a serious condition that commonly occurs in the aftermath of a stroke,” Joundi said. “While our traditional focus has been on preventing another stroke, which is very important, we need to pay more attention to the development of dementia and how to prevent it. Over the long-term, dementia is more common than a recurrent stroke. Healthy lifestyle choices and controlling vascular risk factors can lower the risk of dementia, but we need new and effective targeted interventions for dementia prevention.”

Study limitations include that data were not available about the type of dementia that may develop. Researchers did not have access to imaging scans of the study participants, which would offer more detailed information about their stroke location and size or the presence of covert infarcts (small ischemic brain lesions).

American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Deborah A. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., said, “Dementia after a stroke is very difficult for patients and their loved ones, and there aren’t enough effective treatments to help. This well-done study provides a useful tool that could make research faster, so new treatments can get to stroke survivors sooner.” Levine is a professor of internal medicine and neurology, the departments of internal medicine and neurology, the Cognitive Health Services Research and Stroke Programs and the Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation at the University of Michigan. Levine was not involved in this study.

Study details, background and design:

The average age of all participants was 70; 53% of participants were men, and 47% women.
Using the new risk predictor tool, researchers calculated 1-, 5- and 10-year dementia risk scores, and participants were divided into five groups, ranging from the lowest to the highest risk, based on the risk factors that were present. The risk calculator evaluated the number and the degree of each factor’s contribution to dementia risk, resulting in a composite score that indicates the likelihood of developing dementia in the future.
Researchers identified risk factors and other characteristics, such as age, diabetes status, depression, disability and sex, then divided patients into five categories of dementia risk based on these risk factors.
To validate the results, researchers reviewed data on a similar number of stroke admissions from the Ontario Stroke Audit. Dementia risk scores were calculated separately for participants who had a transient ischemic attack vs. a stroke.
This tool, used prior to discharge from the hospital, has the potential to help physicians assess whether patients might develop long-term dementia.

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Deborah A. Levine, M.D., M.P.H., and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Stroke Association news release: Risk of dementia was nearly three times higher the first year after a stroke (Feb. 2024)
AHA Scientific Statement: Cognitive impairment after stroke is common, and early diagnosis and treatment needed (May 2023)
American Heart Association news release: What do we mean by “brain health” and why should you care about it? (March 2025)
American Heart Association health initiative: Healthy For Good™
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

]]>

Tear in inner lining of neck artery may not raise stroke risk in first 6 months of diagnosis

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

Adults who had a dissecting aneurysm in the neck artery wall (a cervical artery dissection or CeAD) did not have a higher risk of stroke compared to those with cervical artery dissection without a dissecting aneurysm in the first six months after diagnosis, according to data analysis from a global registry.
The findings should offer reassurance and much-needed information about how best to diagnose and treat people with dissecting aneurysm and CeAD, researchers said.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — People who developed a type of aneurysm with a cervical artery dissection (a tear in the inner lining of the neck artery wall), a known cause of stroke, particularly in young adults, did not have an increased risk of stroke within the six months after diagnosis, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier global event dedicated to advancing stroke and brain health science.

Cervical artery dissection (CeAD) causes about 2% of ischemic strokes overall; however, it accounts for up to 25% of strokes in adults younger than 50 years old. Cervical artery dissection occurs when there’s a tear in the inner wall of an artery in the neck, and this tear can let blood leak out, forming a clot that may travel and lead to a stroke. In some cases, blood leaking through the tear in the artery wall during a dissection can create a bulge or balloon in the artery, called a dissecting aneurysm.

“We have little scientific information about dissecting aneurysm, including how to best diagnose, monitor aneurysm growth and manage the health of people with dissecting aneurysms,” said study author Muhib Khan, M.D., M.B.B.S., an associate professor in neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “We leveraged a large dataset from a global registry to provide a comprehensive overview of dissecting aneurysm diagnosis, monitoring and outcomes.”

In the Antithrombotics for Stroke Prevention in Cervical Artery Dissection (STOP-CAD) subanalysis, researchers performed a secondary analysis of data from the STOP-CAD study, a multicenter, international study. CeAD patients were stratified for the presence of dissecting aneurysm, and researchers examined data for signs that the aneurysm was growing and to identify factors associated with dissecting aneurysm.

The analysis found:

Dissecting aneurysm is common in people with CeAD and generally is not life-threatening in the short term (first 6 months). Of more than 4,000 participants with CeAD, about one in five (or 19%) developed a dissecting aneurysm.
People with a dissecting aneurysm were more likely to have a history of migraines, connective tissue disorders and minor neck trauma before the dissection. These risk factors may assist clinicians in monitoring for the development of dissecting aneurysms.
People with CeAD and dissecting aneurysms did not have a higher risk of having a stroke compared to those with CeAD but no dissecting aneurysms.
Among those who had a dissecting aneurysm, about 10% showed growth of the aneurysm over 6 months. However, dissecting aneurysm growth also did not lead to a higher risk of stroke.

“Reassuringly, dissecting aneurysm formation was not related to hemorrhagic stroke or increased mortality either,” said study co-author Zafer Keser, M.D., an associate professor in neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. “Our study provides important information to help health care professionals better monitor and manage patients during the first six months after diagnosis of an aneurysm.”

A limitation of this study was that it relied on the review of the images by radiologists and trained neurologists; however, there was no standardized and centralized process for assessing how patients fared during the initial months after diagnosis. The analysis also looked back in time (the retrospective design) at the health information for the STOP-CAD study. A year-long study that closely follows patients over time and clearly outlines treatment methods, as well as how researchers interpret the images, would help confirm their results, researchers said.

“The study adds to existing evidence that suggests cervical artery dissections have a low risk of recurrent stroke,” said former chair of the International Stroke Conference, Louise D. McCullough, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA. “Having a dissecting aneurysm may not be as scary as we initially thought. It helps us and our patients understand that although there is damage to the artery of the neck that their rate of recurrent stroke is low, and that's reassuring.

“The results could have practical implications, as well. Often, we follow these patients with a lot of imaging that we may not need to do quite as often. These results will probably give us a little bit of pause if we’re thinking about doing an intervention such as placing a carotid stent — which would require chronic antiplatelets — if we know the risk of recurrent strokes in patients with dissecting aneurysms is low,” said McCullough, the Roy M. and Phyllis Gough Huffington Distinguished Chair of Neurology at McGovern Medical School; chief of neurology at Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center and co-director of UTHealth Neurosciences, all in Houston. McCullough was not involved in the study.

Study details, background and design:

The study included 4,008 adults (average age of 46 years; 50% were men, 50% women), including 767 participants (19%) with a dissecting aneurysm.
Participants were 73.5% white adults, 9.2% Hispanic adults, 6% Black adults, 3.7% Asian adults and 16.9% were noted as other race.
The Stroke Prevention in Cervical Artery Dissection (STOP-CAD) Multicenter Global Registry enrolled patients who were diagnosed with CeAD from 2010 to 2023 at 63 sites from 16 countries and followed for 6 months after diagnosis. The primary coordinating site was the Department of Neurology at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.
Clinical, imaging, management and outcomes data were collected in a centralized registry up to six months from the initial CeAD presentation in the STOP-CAD study.

See also: Abstract A048: De Novo Pseudoaneurysm Formation After Cervical Artery Dissection: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes (Zafer Keser, M.D.)

Co-authors and disclosures are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Louise D. McCullough, M.D., Ph.D., FAHA, and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Heart Association health information: Strokes caused by artery tears: What you should know (podcast)
American Heart Association Scientific Statement: Treatment and Outcomes of Cervical Artery Dissection in Adults: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (Feb. 2024)
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

]]>

Data analysis finds multiple antiplatelets linked to worse outcomes after a brain bleed

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

Based on an analysis of a decade of hospital stroke registry data, people who had brain bleeds were more likely to die in the hospital if they were taking multiple antiplatelet medications, or medications stronger than aspirin, before the bleed.
People who were taking only aspirin before the brain bleed had the same risk of death as those not taking any antiplatelet medications.
The results open the door to research on how to improve care for people hospitalized with a brain bleed who have been taking antiplatelet medications.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as full manuscripts in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — Analysis of hospital registry data found that people who were hospitalized due to bleeding in the brain and who had taken multiple antiplatelet medications, or medications stronger than aspirin, were more likely to die before leaving the hospital compared to those not taking any antiplatelet medication, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health.

Antiplatelet medications are prescribed to stop blood clot formation by making blood platelets less sticky. These medications are often prescribed in the treatment and prevention of heart attacks and ischemic strokes. Aspirin is a commonly prescribed, mild anti-clotting medication that can help prevent ischemic strokes, which are caused by blood clots. Sometimes, a patient will also be prescribed one or more stronger antiplatelet medications (such as clopidogrel, prasugrel and ticagrelor) in addition to aspirin after a heart attack or ischemic stroke.

“Previous research assessing the relationship between antiplatelet therapy and patient outcomes after a brain bleed has grouped all the medications together. We conducted this study to find out if different antiplatelet medications or combinations affect overall death and recovery in people with a brain bleed,” said lead study author Santosh Murthy, M.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of neurology and neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

Researchers analyzed a decade of data for more than 400,000 adults in the U.S. hospitalized for a brain bleed (intracranial hemorrhage) without a traumatic brain injury or any other type of stroke who received care at a hospital participating in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Stroke Registry. Patients who were on anticoagulant medication were excluded. The short-term outcome was considered unfavorable if a patient died or was sent to hospice care vs. favorable if a patient was discharged home or to another care setting.

Among 426,481 people hospitalized with intracranial hemorrhage, 109,512 were taking only one antiplatelet, 17,009 were taking two antiplatelet medications, while 300,558 did not receive any antiplatelet treatment before the brain bleed.

The researchers found that when compared to patients with no antiplatelet therapy before the brain bleed:

Patients taking aspirin alone did not have an increased risk of dying in the hospital, and aspirin was associated with lower odds of an unfavorable outcome.
Patients taking a stronger antiplatelet medication, either alone or in combination with aspirin, had an increased risk of death in the hospital.
There was a trend towards patients taking stronger antiplatelet medications or dual therapy having an increased risk of an unfavorable outcome.

American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Jonathan Rosand, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, said, “Using dual antiplatelet therapy and new generation antiplatelet drugs has improved the lives of many people with coronary artery disease. However, there are risks involved. Patients on these medications have a slightly higher chance of having a bleeding stroke. This new study shows that if a stroke occurs while on these treatments, it is more likely to be fatal. If you’re on these medications, check with your health care professional to ensure they are still right for you. If your health care professional advises you to continue, it likely means they are helping you more than they are harming you.” Rosand is also a professor of neurology at Harvard, holds the JP Kistler Endowed Chair in Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and is founder of the Global Brain Care Coalition. Rosand was not involved in this study.

“These results do not imply that people should be reluctant to take antiplatelet medications if recommended,” Murthy said. “The findings of our study show that if patients have a brain bleed, the type of antiplatelet medication they were taking before the bleed may affect their risk of death or other severe outcomes. It is important to note that we did not analyze the risk of having a brain bleed from different antiplatelet medications. And with more research, these results may help inform how antiplatelet-associated intracranial hemorrhage is managed in the hospital. Currently, antiplatelet medications are discontinued immediately after a bleed. Another option may be giving patients transfusions of donor platelets to lower the bleeding risk.”

Current guidelines do not recommend platelet transfusions for patients with bleeding in the brain if they are taking one or more antiplatelet medications, unless they need immediate surgery. Future studies should examine whether platelet transfusions affect the outcomes differently in patients after brain bleeds who were taking single or dual antiplatelet therapies.

The current study is limited because it did not consider specific characteristics of the brain bleed, such as the amount of blood or where in the brain tissue the bleed was located and if it involved the fluid-filled cavities in the brain. These measures could help gauge the severity of the brain bleed and how each might influence the patient’s outcomes.

Intracranial hemorrhage accounts for about 10% of all strokes in the U.S., according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics.

Study details, background and design:

Data for 426,481 adults who were hospitalized due to an intracranial hemorrhage (average age of 67 years; 53% were men).
All participants were treated between 2011-2021 at a hospital in the U.S. participating in the American Heart Association’s Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Registry.
The Get With The Guidelines registry is the largest program in the U.S. that collects data from hundreds of hospitals nationwide to help improve care for heart disease and stroke. These hospitals treat patients who reflect the diverse U.S. population.
Researchers used multiple logistic regression, a statistical method that can account for the influence of multiple factors on a yes-or-no result (in this case, a favorable or unfavorable hospital outcome), to examine the relationship between various types and numbers of antiplatelet medications.
The results were adjusted for: demographic factors; other vascular conditions (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and a history of heart disease) that might influence both the use of antiplatelet medications and the risk of a poor outcome after a brain bleed; severity of the brain bleed on the NIHSS Stroke Scale; use of a ventricular drain; and hospital characteristics (including whether it was located in a city, if it was a teaching hospital and how many strokes treated at the hospital each year).

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert, Jonathan Rosand, M.D., M.Sc., FAHA, and other multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Heart Association news release: Newer blood thinner plus aspirin reduced stroke risk by 27% in patients with heart plaque (Nov. 2020)
American Heart Association health information: Types of Stroke and Treatment
American Heart Association health information: Types of Heart Medications
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

###

About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

]]>

Older adults’ driving habits offer window into brain health, cognitive decline

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Research Highlights:

A study of over 200 adults followed for five years found that greater white matter damage in the brain was linked to decreased driving, fewer trips, repetitive routes and having more driving errors, especially in those who later developed dementia.
In contrast, adults ages 65 and older who were taking blood pressure medicines, particularly ACE inhibitors, were less likely to show risky driving behaviors, even when brain damage was present (evidence of white matter damage caused by reduced blood flow to brain tissue).
Subtle changes in everyday driving habits may be early warning signs of brain changes and higher dementia risk, even before traditional memory and thinking symptoms appear, the researchers noted.
White matter damage in the back part of the brain, which helps people process what they see and coordinate movement, was most strongly tied to unsafe driving and crashes, pointing to a potential early warning marker for higher driving risk in older adults.
Note: The study featured in this news release is a research abstract. Abstracts presented at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s scientific meetings are not peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary until published as a full manuscript in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2026 — Older adults’ driving habits revealed clues about their brain health and may provide early warning signs of cognitive decline or dementia, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2026. The meeting is in New Orleans, Feb. 4-6, 2026, and is a world premier global event dedicated to advancing stroke and brain health science.

“Driving habits in older adults can reveal early changes in brain health. How often people drive, where they go, and how much they vary their routes may signal underlying damage to the brain’s white matter, which is linked to cognitive decline and dementia,” said study author Chia-Ling Phuah, M.D., M.M.Sc., an associate professor of neurocritical care and co-director of the Neuro Analytics Center at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. “These findings suggest that even small shifts in daily driving patterns can offer important clues about brain changes — sometimes before traditional memory and thinking symptoms are noticeable.”

According to the American Heart Association 2026 Heart and Stroke Statistics, about 6.9 million (10.9%) – or 1 in 9 - adults 65 years or older in the United States were living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2024.

Researchers reviewed driving habits for 220 adult volunteers, ages 65 and older, living independently in St. Louis, Missouri. Detailed cognitive assessments indicated participants were free of dementia at the start of the study. Car sensors were used to track participants’ driving behavior (including speeding, collisions, hard braking or hard cornering) for more than five years. They conducted additional brain imaging studies within the first year of the study to measure changes in the brain’s white matter, specifically white matter hyperintensities — areas of white matter damage caused by reduced blood flow to brain tissue.

The analysis found:

Older adults who had more white matter hyperintensities tended to drive less and show sharper declines in their willingness or ability to change driving routes and habits.
Over more than five years of follow-up, 17% of participants developed cognitive impairment and most of these individuals were later diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Among the 17% of participants who developed cognitive impairment, higher white matter hyperintensity burden on brain imaging was linked to a greater likelihood of unsafe driving practices, such as hard braking, and to more crashes.
“Participants with white matter hyperintensities located in the back of the brain — a region responsible for processing what people see and how they move — were at even higher risk of crashes than those with changes in other brain areas, making them more likely to experience unsafe driving episodes and car accidents over time,“ Phuah explained.
Participants taking medications to manage high blood pressure, especially angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, were less likely to exhibit risky driving when compared with those who were not taking any blood pressure medication.

Overall, the study’s findings suggest that monitoring driving behavior with commercial in-vehicle data loggers may help identify older adults at higher risk for unsafe driving, loss of independence and subtle cognitive problems, Phuah noted.

“One especially promising finding was that people taking blood pressure medications, particularly ACE inhibitors, tended to maintain safer driving habits even when their brain scans revealed more damage. This effect was observed regardless of whether their blood pressure levels were at target levels,” Phuah said. “This suggests that these medications may help support brain health as we age.”

Nada El Husseini, M.D., M.H.Sc., FAHA, chair of the American Heart Association’s 2023 scientific statement, Cognitive Impairment After Ischemic and Hemorrhagic Stroke said, “What’s surprising about these findings is that people taking ACE inhibitors were less likely to have impairment in their driving despite the extent of white matter disease. The impact of ACE inhibitors on cognitive function and driving safety in people with white matter disease requires further investigation. Also, these results suggest cognitive screening and brain imaging might be considered for people with driving difficulties.” El Husseini is an associate professor of neurology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina and was not involved in this study.

Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80, and treatment is recommended for people with blood pressure levels 140/90 mm Hg or higher (stage 2 hypertension). Recent research confirms that blood pressure affects brain health, including cognitive function and dementia, so early treatment is recommended for people diagnosed with high blood pressure to maintain brain health and cognition, according to the 2025 American Heart Association High Blood Pressure Guideline.

Key limitations include a small study size, most participants were white, college-educated adults, so results may not generalize to people from more diverse backgrounds, and medication use was self-reported, which could introduce errors.

The next step will be larger studies that include more diverse participants to confirm and extend these findings.

Study details, background and design:

The study included 220 adults (average age of 73 years; 54% men, 46% women, 88% white and 12% Black) living in St. Louis, Missouri, who did not have dementia when they enrolled in the study.
Data was collected over a nine-year period, from 2016 to 2024, as part of the Driving Real-World In-Vehicle Evaluation System (DRIVES) project based at Washington University in St. Louis.
Participants were monitored for continuous in-vehicle driving metrics, such as trip frequency, distance and destination, as well as safety events, including time spent speeding, collisions, hard braking or hard cornering.
All participants had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to measure white matter hyperintensities at enrollment, which was around the time they started their driving assessments. About half (102 participants) had a second MRI scan at least 12 months after their first scan. Participants also underwent annual clinical and cognitive assessments.
Researchers analyzed the relationship between total and regional white matter hyperintensities and driving patterns and safety.
Statistical models were used to adjust for demographics, social/economic factors and health factors.

Patient perspective: A caregiver’s view of driving and cognitive decline

For Larry Duncan, a retired business owner from Pinehurst, North Carolina, driving was part of his independence. But subtle changes began to appear before his Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2023. “Larry was fine driving in familiar areas,” recalls his wife and caregiver, Pam Duncan. “But in new places where he had to make quick decisions, he became anxious.”

As his cognitive challenges progressed, Duncan’s doctor advised him to stop driving, a decision she describes as heartbreaking but necessary.

“In early-stage cognitive impairment, symptoms can be subtle, and driving is one of them,” said Pam Duncan, who now volunteers for the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association. “Don’t ignore these changes. As caregivers, our role is to support independence while having the courage to make tough decisions. You can live well with dementia, but it starts with awareness and action.”

Co-authors, disclosures and funding sources are listed in the abstract.

Additional Resources:

Video interview clips with American Stroke Association volunteer expert Nada El Husseini, M.D., M.H.Sc., FAHA, and multimedia assets are available on the right column of the release link.
Link to abstract in the American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026 Online Program Planner
Spanish news release with video interview in Spanish.
New 1/21/2026 - According to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, stroke is now the #4 leading cause of death in the U.S. Learn more at www.stroke.org or www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Stroke Hub or in Español. Link to additional health topic Fact Sheets.
American Heart Association news release: What do we mean by “brain health” and why should you care about it? (March, 2025)
American Heart Association news release: Novel vaccine may hold key to prevent or reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease (July, 2023)
American Heart Association health initiative: Brain Health & Healthy Aging Infographic
For more news at American Stroke Association International Stroke Conference 2026, follow us on X @HeartNews #ISC26

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About the American Stroke Association

For Media Inquiries and American Stroke Association Expert Perspective:

American Heart Association Communications & Media Relations: 214-706-1173, ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

For Public Inquiries: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org and stroke.org

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Los hábitos de conducción de los adultos mayores brindan información sobre la salud cerebral y el deterioro cognitivo

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Puntos destacados de la investigación:

Gracias a un estudio realizado a más de 200 adultos durante cinco años, se descubrió que el mayor daño de la materia blanca del cerebro estaba relacionado con la disminución del tiempo al volante, una menor cantidad de viajes, rutas repetitivas y errores cometidos al conducir, en especial en aquellos que posteriormente desarrollaron demencia.
Por el contrario, los adultos de 65 años en adelante que estaban tomando medicamentos para la presión arterial, particularmente inhibidores de ECA, tenían menos probabilidades de mostrar hábitos de conducción riesgosos, a pesar de la presencia de daño cerebral (evidencia de que la materia blanca estaba dañada por la reducción del flujo sanguíneo hacia los tejidos del cerebro).
Los investigadores señalaron que las alteraciones sutiles en los hábitos de conducción diarios pueden ser las primeras señales de alarma de que el cerebro está sufriendo cambios y de que hay un mayor riesgo de demencia. Estas señales pueden aparecer incluso antes que los síntomas cognitivos y de memoria tradicionales.
El daño en la materia blanca de la parte posterior del cerebro, que ayuda a las personas a procesar lo que ven y coordinar los movimientos, se relacionó más estrechamente con la conducción insegura y los accidentes, lo que apunta a un posible indicador de alerta temprana de un mayor riesgo de conducción en los adultos mayores.
Nota: El estudio que se presenta en este comunicado de prensa es un resumen de investigación. Los resúmenes que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la American Heart Association y la American Stroke Association no son revisados por expertos, y los hallazgos se consideran preliminares hasta que se publiquen como un artículo completo en una revista profesional científica revisada por expertos.

Prohibida su divulgación hasta las 4 a. m. hora central/5 a. m. ET del jueves, 29 de enero del 2026

DALLAS, en. 29 del 2026. Los hábitos de conducción de adultos mayores revelaron datos sobre su salud cerebral y podrían ser las primeras señales de alarma de deterioro cognitivo o demencia, según un estudio preliminar que se presentará en The American Stroke Association del 2026 (sitio web en inglés). El encuentro es en Nueva Orleans, del 4 al 6 de febrero del 2026, y es un evento de estreno mundial dedicado al avance científico en materia de salud cerebral y ataques o derrames cerebrales.

“Los hábitos de conducción de adultos mayores pueden revelar los primeros cambios en la salud cerebral. Con qué frecuencia conducen las personas, a dónde van y cuánto varían sus rutas pueden ser señales de daño subyacente en la materia blanca del cerebro, la cual está relacionada con el deterioro cognitivo y la demencia”, afirma la autora del estudio Chia-Ling Phuah, M.D., M.M.Sc., que es profesora asociada de cuidado neurocrítico y codirectora de Neuro Analytics Center (Centro de Análisis Neurológico) en Barrow Neurological Institute (Instituto Neurológico Barrow) en Phoenix. “Estos descubrimientos sugieren que incluso las variaciones más pequeñas en los patrones de conducción diarios pueden ofrecer evidencia importante sobre los cambios del cerebro, a veces, antes de que se perciban los síntomas cognitivos y de memoria tradicionales”.

Según American Heart Association 2026 Heart and Stroke Statistics (sitio web en inglés), casi 6.9 millones o 1 de cada 9 (10.9%) adultos de 65 años en adelante en Estados Unidos vivían con la enfermedad de Alzheimer en 2024.

Los investigadores analizaron los hábitos de conducción de 220 adultos voluntarios, de 65 años en adelante, que vivían de forma independiente en St. Louis, Misuri. Al comienzo del estudio, se realizaron evaluaciones cognitivas detalladas que indicaron que los participantes no tenían demencia. Se colocaron sensores en los autos de los participantes para registrar su comportamiento al conducir (que incluye velocidad, choques, frenadas bruscas y giros abruptos) durante más de cinco años. Además, en el primer año del estudio, los investigadores realizaron análisis cerebrales por imágenes para evaluar cambios en la materia blanca del cerebro, en específico hiperintensidades en la materia blanca: áreas de materia blanca dañadas por la reducción del flujo sanguíneo hacia los tejidos cerebrales.

El análisis reveló lo siguiente:

Los adultos mayores que tenían más hiperintensidades en la materia blanca tendían a conducir menos y mostraban un descenso más intenso en la voluntad o habilidad para cambiar las rutas y hábitos de conducción.
Luego de más de cinco años de seguimiento, 17% de los participantes desarrollaron deterioro cognitivo y la mayoría de ellos fueron posteriormente diagnosticados con la enfermedad de Alzheimer.
Entre el 17% de los participantes que desarrollaron deterioro cognitivo, una mayor carga de hiperintensidades en la materia blanca, que se mostraba en los análisis cerebrales por imágenes, se relacionó con una mayor probabilidad de realizar prácticas de conducción peligrosas, como frenadas bruscas, y con un aumento en la cantidad de choques.
“Los participantes con hiperintensidades en la materia blanca ubicada en la región posterior del cerebro, que se encarga de procesar lo que las personas ven y cómo se mueven, corrían un mayor riesgo de chocar que aquellos que presentaban cambios en otras regiones del cerebro. Esto los hacía más propensos a experimentar episodios de conducción peligrosos y accidentes automovilísticos con el paso del tiempo” explicó Phuah.
Los participantes que tomaban medicamentos para controlar la presión arterial alta, en especial, inhibidores de la enzima convertidora de angiotensina (ECA), presentaban una menor probabilidad de conducir de manera riesgosa en comparación con los que no tomaban ninguna medicación para la presión arterial.

En resumen, los descubrimientos del estudio sugieren que monitorear el comportamiento de conducción con registradores comerciales de datos colocados en el vehículo pueden ayudar a identificar adultos mayores que corren un mayor riesgo de conducir de manera peligrosa, perder independencia y sufrir problemas cognitivos, señaló Phuah.

“Un descubrimiento realmente prometedor fue que las personas que tomaban medicamentos para la presión arterial, particularmente inhibidores de ECA, tendían a mantener hábitos de conducción más seguros incluso cuando los escaneos de sus cerebros revelaban un daño mayor. Este efecto se observó sin importar si sus niveles de presión arterial eran normales o no”, dijo Phuah. “Esto sugiere que estos medicamentos pueden ayudar a mantener la salud cerebral a medida que envejecemos”.

La Dra. Nada El Husseini, M.H.Sc., FAHA, presidenta de la declaración científica de 2023 de la Asociación Americana del Corazón, Deterioro cognitivo tras un accidente cerebrovascular isquémico y hemorrágico (sitio web en inglés) afirmó: “Lo sorprendente de estos hallazgos es que las personas que tomaban inhibidores de la ECA eran menos propensas a sufrir deterioro en su capacidad para conducir, a pesar de la gravedad de la enfermedad de la sustancia blanca. El impacto de los inhibidores de ECA sobre la función cognitiva y la seguridad al conducir en personas que sufren una enfermedad en la materia blanca necesita una investigación más profunda. Además, estos resultados sugieren que se podría considerar la posibilidad de realizar pruebas cognitivas y de imagen cerebral a las personas con dificultades para conducir”. El Husseini es profesor asociado de neurología en el Centro Médico de la Universidad de Duke en Durham, Carolina del Norte, y no participó en este estudio.

La presión arterial normal es menor que 120/80, y se recomienda tratamiento para las personas con niveles de presión arterial de 140/90 mmHg o más (hipertensión en etapa 2). Investigaciones recientes confirman que la presión arterial afecta a la salud cerebral, incluidas las funciones cognitivas y la demencia, por lo que se recomienda un tratamiento temprano para las personas diagnosticadas con hipertensión arterial con el fin de mantener la salud cerebral y las funciones cognitivas, según la Guía sobre hipertensión arterial de 2025 de la American Heart Association (sitio web en inglés).

Sin embargo, hay algunas limitaciones: el estudio se realizó con un grupo reducido de adultos, en su mayoría blancos y con estudios universitarios; por ende, es probable que los resultados no apliquen a personas con orígenes o experiencias más diversas. Además, los participantes informaron por sí mismos el uso de las medicaciones, lo que pudo haber generado errores.

El próximo paso es realizar estudios más extensos que incluyan participantes más diversos para confirmar o ampliar estos descubrimientos.

Detalles, antecedentes y diseño del estudio:

El estudio se realizó con 220 adultos (edad promedio de 73 años; 54% hombres, 46% mujeres, 88% blancos y 12% negros) con residencia en St. Louis, Misuri, que no padecían demencia cuando se inscribieron al estudio.
Los datos se recopilaron durante un período de nueve años, de 2016 a 2024, como parte del proyecto Driving Real-World In-Vehicle Evaluation System (DRIVES) con sede en la Universidad de Washington en St. Louis.
Se supervisó a los participantes para obtener métricas continuas de conducción en el vehículo, como la frecuencia de los viajes, la distancia y el destino, así como incidentes relacionados con la seguridad, como el tiempo dedicado a conducir a exceso de velocidad, colisiones, frenadas bruscas o giros pronunciados.
Todos los participantes se realizaron resonancias magnéticas cerebrales (RM) para medir las hiperintensidades de la sustancia blanca en el momento de la inscripción, que fue aproximadamente cuando comenzaron sus evaluaciones de conducción. Aproximadamente la mitad (102 participantes) se realizaron una segunda RM al menos 12 meses después de la primera. Los participantes también se sometieron a evaluaciones clínicas y cognitivas anuales.
Los investigadores analizaron la relación entre las hiperintensidades totales y regionales de la sustancia blanca y los patrones de conducción y la seguridad.
Se utilizaron modelos estadísticos para ajustar los factores demográficos, socioeconómicos y de salud.

Perspectiva del paciente: la opinión de un cuidador sobre la conducción y el deterioro cognitivo

Para Larry Duncan, un empresario jubilado de Pinehurst, Carolina del Norte, conducir era parte de su independencia. Pero empezaron a aparecer cambios sutiles antes de que le diagnosticaran Alzheimer en 2023. “Larry conducía sin problemas en zonas que conocía bien”, recuerda su esposa y cuidadora, Pam Duncan. “Pero en lugares nuevos, donde tenía que tomar decisiones rápidas, se ponía nervioso”.

A medida que sus problemas cognitivos avanzaban, el médico de Duncan le aconsejó que dejara de conducir, una decisión que ella describe como desgarradora pero necesaria.

“En las primeras etapas del deterioro cognitivo, los síntomas pueden ser sutiles, y la conducción es uno de ellos”, afirma Pam Duncan, quien ahora es voluntaria de la American Stroke Association, una división de la American Heart Association. “No ignoren esos cambios. Como cuidadores, nuestra función es apoyar la independencia y, al mismo tiempo, tener el valor de tomar decisiones difíciles. Se puede vivir bien con demencia, pero hay que empezar por tomar conciencia y actuar”.

Los coautores, las divulgaciones y las fuentes de financiamiento se indican en el resumen.

Las afirmaciones y conclusiones de los estudios presentados en las reuniones científicas de la American Heart Association y la American Stroke Association son exclusivas de los autores y no constituyen necesariamente la política ni la posición de la Asociación. La Asociación no ofrece ninguna declaración ni garantía de ningún tipo en cuanto a su exactitud o confiabilidad. Los resúmenes que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la Asociación no son revisados por expertos, sino que los paneles de revisión independientes los seleccionan y consideran en función del potencial que tengan de ser un aporte a la diversidad de temas y opiniones científicos analizados en la reunión. Los hallazgos se consideran preliminares hasta que se publiquen como un artículo completo en una revista profesional científica revisada por expertos.

La Asociación recibe más de un 85% de sus ingresos de fuentes ajenas a empresas. Estas fuentes incluyen contribuciones de personas particulares, fundaciones y patrimonios, así como ganancias por inversiones e ingresos por la venta de nuestros materiales informativos. Las empresas (incluidas las farmacéuticas, los fabricantes de dispositivos y otras compañías) también realizan donaciones a la Asociación. La Asociación tiene políticas estrictas para evitar que las donaciones influyan en el contenido científico y en las posturas de sus políticas. La información financiera general está disponible aquí (sitio web en inglés).

Recursos adicionales:

En la columna derecha del enlace del comunicado de prensa encontrará fragmentos de una entrevista en vídeo con un experto voluntario de la American Stroke Association, Rosalba "Rose" Hernandez, Ph.D., FAHA, así como otros recursos multimedia.
Vínculo al resumen (sitio web en inglés) en el Planificador del programa en línea de la Conferencia Internacional sobre Accidentes Cerebrovasculares 2026 de la American Stroke Association (sitio web en inglés)
Comunicado de prensa en inglés con una entrevista en vídeo.
Nuevo del 01/21/2026: Según las Estadísticas de Enfermedades Cardíacas y Accidentes Cerebrovasculares de 2026 de la American Heart Association, el accidente cerebrovascular es ahora la cuarta causa principal de muerte en Estados Unidos. Obtenga más información en www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Centro de información sobre accidentes cerebrovasculares en Español. Enlace a hojas informativas adicionales sobre temas de salud.
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: ¿Qué es la salud cerebral y por qué debería importarnos? | American Heart Association (marzo del 2025)
Comunicado de prensa de la American Heart Association: Novel vaccine may hold key to prevent or reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease (sitio web en inglés) (julio del 2023)
Iniciativa de salud de la American Heart Association: Salud Cerebral y Envejecimiento Saludable - Infografía
Para ver más noticias sobre la Conferencia Internacional sobre Ataque o Derrame Cerebral del 2026 de la American Stroke Association, síganos en X @HeartNews (sitio web en inglés) #ISC26

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Acerca de la American Stroke Association

La American Stroke Association se dedica a salvar a las personas del ataque o derrame cerebral, la segunda causa de muerte en el mundo y una de las principales causas de discapacidades graves. Colaboramos con millones de voluntarios para financiar investigaciones innovadoras, luchar por mejores políticas de salud pública y proporcionar herramientas e información que salvan vidas para evitar y tratar el ataque o derrame cerebral. La Asociación, con sede en Dallas, se fundó oficialmente en 1998 como una división de la American Heart Association. Para obtener más información o sumarse a nuestra misión, llame al 1-888-4STROKE o visite derramecerebral.org. Síganos en Facebook y X.

Para consultas con los medios de comunicación de la American Stroke Association:

Comunicaciones y relaciones con los medios de la American Heart Association: 214-706-1173,ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sitio web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

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Los supervivientes de ataque o derrame cerebral se sienten menos solos y tienen una mejor recuperación si expresan sus sentimientos

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Puntos destacados de la investigación:

Cuando se los evalúo un año después de haber sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral, los supervivientes, quienes pensaban que no podían hablar de sus sentimientos o de lo que les daba miedo respecto de su salud con amigos o familiares, aseguraron que se sentían más solos y les costaba mucho más recuperarse, tanto física como mentalmente.
Para identificar pacientes que tendrían mayor nivel de discapacidad y peores funciones físicas un año después del ataque o derrame cerebral, el no poder compartir lo que sentían con familiares y amigos era tan importante como la gravedad del ataque o derrame cerebral.
Los cuidadores que acompañan, la familia y los profesionales de la salud que generan un espacio seguro para que los supervivientes puedan compartir sus sentimientos y miedos luego de haber sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral mejoran el proceso de recuperación.
Nota: El estudio que se presenta en este comunicado de prensa es un resumen de investigación. Los resúmenes que se presentan en las reuniones científicas de la American Heart Association y la American Stroke Association no se revisan por expertos, y los hallazgos se consideran preliminares hasta que se publican como artículos completos en una revista profesional científica revisada por expertos.

Prohibida su divulgación hasta las 4 a. m. hora central/5 a. m. ET del jueves 29 del 2026

DALLAS, 29 de enero del 2026. El proceso de recuperación cognitivo y físico de los supervivientes de ataque o derrame cerebral que no podían compartir sus pensamientos y sentimientos sobre su estado y el futuro era mucho más lento, según un estudio preliminar que se presentará en la Conferencia Internacional sobre el Ataque o Derrame Cerebral 2026 de The American Stroke Association (la Asociación Americana del Derrame Cerebral) (sitio web en inglés). La conferencia es en Nueva Orleans, entre el 4 y 6 de febrero del 2026 y es un evento mundial cuyo fin es potenciar los conocimientos sobre la salud del cerebro y los ataques o derrames cerebrales.

“Cuando se trata de lidiar con un estrés y un trauma importantes, muchas personas se benefician de contar con un entorno social que les brinde apoyo y en el que puedan hablar sobre lo que están pasando”, afirmó la autora principal del estudio, E. Alison Holman, M.D. y profesora de enfermería de la Facultad de Enfermería Sue & Bill Gross de la Universidad de California en Irvine. “Sin embargo, el hecho de pensar que no podían expresar sus pensamientos o sentimientos, porque temían incomodar a los demás o que no les prestaran atención, terminaba afectando su salud”.

Los científicos investigaron si las limitaciones sociales respecto de expresar sentimientos y emociones podían predecir la soledad y la discapacidad funcional y cognitiva luego de un año del ataque o derrame cerebral. El estudio, denominado STRONG (Stroke, sTress, RehabilitatiON y Genetics), se realizó en 28 centros de Estados Unidos y participaron más de 700 personas. En los resultados de STRONG ya se demostró que la recuperación un año luego del ataque o derrame cerebral era peor si la persona había experimentado niveles altos de estrés y trauma antes del ataque o derrame cerebral, si había tenido síntomas de estrés postraumático mientras estaba internada luego del derrame o si tenía ciertas variaciones genéticas.

Durante el presente estudio, los investigadores evaluaron la percepción de los participantes sobre las limitaciones sociales 3 meses después de haber sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral, tras el período inicial de recuperación. Los supervivientes identificaron alguien del cual dependían en su día a día, como un familiar que cumplía el rol de cuidador, y respondieron las siguientes dos preguntas sobre su relación con dicha persona: “Durante la última semana, ¿qué tan a menudo sintió que no quería escuchar sus pensamientos o sentimientos sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral o sobre su miedo a los problemas de salud futuros?” y “¿Con qué frecuencia sintió que tenía que ocultar sus sentimientos sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral o sus miedos sobre los problemas de salud futuros porque esa persona se sentía incómoda o molesta si los compartía?”.

Los resultados del análisis demostraron que, un año después del ataque o derrame cerebral, las personas que sentían que no podían expresar sus sentimientos abiertamente a los 90 días tenían más probabilidades de enfrentarse a varios desafíos.

Durante la última semana, aseguraron que se sentían más solas, aisladas o no se sentían acompañadas.
Les costaba más realizar las actividades diarias, como alimentarse o bañarse (necesitaban más ayuda, en general).
Les costaba más poner en práctica sus habilidades cognitivas, como la memoria, la atención y el lenguaje.

“Al momento de predecir la discapacidad general y las funciones físicas un año después, el nivel de limitación social tras 90 días fue tan eficaz como la gravedad inicial del ataque o derrame cerebral”, afirmó Holman. “Para muchos profesionales de la salud especializados en ataques o derrames cerebrales, la gravedad del ataque o derrame cerebral es el aspecto fundamental para comprender qué tan bien estará la persona”.

También alentó a otros investigadores sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral a preguntarse qué sucede en los entornos sociales de los pacientes poco después de sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral, con el fin de comprender si podría estar afectando el proceso de recuperación y para brindar ayuda.

Para los cuidadores, Holman aconseja que generen un espacio seguro para que los pacientes puedan hablar sobre el ataque o derrame cerebral, que los dejen expresar sus sentimientos y lo que están experimentando para que puedan procesar lo que ha sucedido y lo que está sucediendo. Sin embargo, aseguró que no deberían presionarlos, ya que no todo el mundo necesita verbalizar sus emociones. Por último, destacó que proporcionarles un espacio seguro para expresarse, si así lo necesitan, es fundamental.

Los investigadores señalaron que, si estos resultados se confirman en futuros estudios, se podrían diseñar intervenciones para ayudar a que los supervivientes de derrames cerebrales no enfrenten tantos desafíos sociales.

La experta y voluntaria de la American Stroke Association, Amytis Towfighi, M.D., FAHA, explicó, “Si bien se reconoce cada vez más que el apoyo social es beneficioso luego de un ataque o derrame cerebral, poco se sabe sobre cómo las limitaciones sociales afectan la recuperación. Este estudio es el primero que evalúa su efecto en los aspectos psicológicos, cognitivos y funcionales a largo plazo. Los hallazgos nos brindan información valiosa que puede servir de base para diseñar intervenciones que mejoren la recuperación tras un ataque o derrame cerebral”. Towfighi también es profesora de neurología y ciencias de la población y la salud pública en la Facultad de Medicina Keck de la Universidad del Sur de California y directora de servicios neurológicos del Departamento de Servicios de Salud del condado de Los Ángeles.

Detalles, antecedentes y diseño del estudio:

En el estudio, participaron 763 personas (con una edad promedio de 63 años, de los cuales un 41,2% eran mujeres y un 69,4% se identificaron como adultos blancos) que se inscribieron en el ensayo mientras estaban internados tras haber sufrido un ataque o derrame cerebral leve a moderado.
Formaron parte del estudio STRONG (Stroke, sTress, RehabilitatiON, y Genetics), que fue un estudio multicéntrico y detallado en el que se analizó el primer año de recuperación luego de un ataque o derrame cerebral y que se llevó a cabo en 28 centros estadounidenses entre 2016 y 2021.
Los investigadores evaluaron a los participantes durante su primera internación y nuevamente después de 3, 6 y 12 meses del ataque o derrame cerebral. Al cabo de un año, se evaluaron las funciones físicas y cognitivas mediante la escala de Rankin modificada y los resultados de la Evaluación Cognitiva de Montreal, realizada durante una llamada telefónica.
El sentimiento de soledad se midió con tres aspectos de la escala de soledad de la Universidad de California en Los Ángeles. Dicho sentimiento se evaluó en cada seguimiento, a los 3, 6 y 12 meses luego del ataque o derrame cerebral. La escala de soledad de la Universidad de California en Los Ángeles evaluó el nivel de soledad de los pacientes mediante una escala de 5 puntos, que iba desde “nunca” hasta “siempre”, por lo que los puntajes más altos significaba un sentimiento más frecuente de soledad.
A los 90 días, el grado de malestar que expresaron los supervivientes de ataque o derrame cerebral respecto de sus preocupaciones se evaluó con dos aspectos de la Escala de Restricciones Sociales.
Tras controlar la edad, el género, la etnia y la gravedad del ataque o derrame cerebral junto con el estrés entre 2 y 10 días luego del ataque o derrame cerebral, los investigadores analizaron la asociación entre un mayor número de limitaciones sociales a los 3 meses y los niveles de soledad y recuperación al cabo de un año.

Perspectiva del paciente: la importancia del apoyo social tras sufrir un ataque o derrame cerebral

Dipika Aggarwal, una neuróloga de la Kansas City, Misuri, tenía una vida plena cuando, en el 2019, sufrió un ataque o derrame cerebral que cambió todo por completo. Con solo 38 años, pasó de tener una carrera prometedora a pasar meses en rehabilitación intensiva, seguidos de aislamiento durante el confinamiento por la COVID. “Perdí mi vida profesional, mi compromiso terminó y no había garantía de que volviera a trabajar”, recordaba. “Mi salud mental empeoró tanto que empecé a pensar en quitarme la vida. Ni siquiera me di cuenta de que estaba sufriendo una depresión después de un ataque o derrame cerebral”.

Aggarwal también explicó que tardó meses en sentirse cómoda para hablar de su ataque o derrame cerebral. Cuando finalmente pudo expresarse, al principio con la familia y luego en las redes sociales, todo cambió.

“Compartir mi historia me ayudó a sanar. Me dio esperanza escuchar a otras personas y sentirme menos sola” comentó Aggarwal, que ahora es voluntaria de la American Stroke Association, una división de la American Heart Association. “Los efectos sociales, económicos y psicológicos de la recuperación son enormes, y no hablamos lo suficiente de ellos. Mi consejo para otros supervivientes de ataque o derrame cerebral es que no guarden silencio sobre lo que les ha pasado. Busquen ayuda, permítanse ser vulnerables y conecten con personas que entiendan lo que les sucede”.

Los coautores, las divulgaciones y las fuentes de financiamiento se indican en el resumen.

Recursos adicionales:

En la columna derecha del enlace del comunicado de prensa encontrará fragmentos de una entrevista en vídeo con un experto voluntario de la American Stroke Association, Rosalba "Rose" Hernandez, Ph.D., FAHA así como otros recursos multimedia.
Vínculo al resumen (sitio web en inglés) en el planificador del programa en línea de la Conferencia Internacional sobre el Ataque o Derrame Cerebral del 2026 de la American Stroke Association (sitio web en inglés)
Comunicado de prensa en inglés con una entrevista en vídeo.
Nuevo del 01/21/2026: Según las Estadísticas de Enfermedades Cardíacas y Accidentes Cerebrovasculares de 2026 de la American Heart Association, el accidente cerebrovascular es ahora la cuarta causa principal de muerte en Estados Unidos. Obtenga más información en www.DerrameCerebral.org.
American Heart Association/American Stroke Association: Centro de información sobre accidentes cerebrovasculares en Español. Enlace a hojas informativas adicionales sobre temas de salud.
Comunicado de prensa de las declaraciones científicas de la American Heart Association: La depresión es común luego de un ataque o derrame cerebral y afecta a 1/3 de los supervivientes (sitio web en inglés) (Feb. del 2023)
Información de salud de la American Heart Association: La vida luego del ataque o derrame cerebral
Información de salud de la American Stroke Association: Red de apoyo de la American Stroke Association (sitio web en inglés)
Para ver más noticias sobre la Conferencia Internacional sobre el Ataque o Derrame Cerebral del 2026 de la American Heart Association, síganos en X @HeartNews (sitio web en inglés), #ISC26

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Acerca de la American Stroke Association

Para consultas con los medios de comunicación o el punto de vista experto de la American Stroke Association:

Comunicaciones y relaciones con los medios de la American Heart Association: 214-706-1173,ahacommunications@heart.org

Karen Astle: Karen.Astle@heart.org

Para consultas públicas: 1-800-AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

heart.org (sitio web en inglés) y derramecerebral.org

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